The Student Centre
University College London
The new Student Centre forms part of a major transformation for University College London, setting a benchmark of excellence for all future UCL development projects.
The flagship building provides a progressive and flexible environment for students, supporting their needs and learning in the heart of the Bloomsbury campus.
BREEAM Outstanding, it has been designed to achieve exemplary sustainability targets. The building has been constructed on the last piece of undeveloped land on Gordon Street, adjacent to the Bloomsbury Theatre. The project adds to UCL’s rich heritage of distinguished architecture and its commitment to strengthening the public realm and character of the Bloomsbury Conservation Area.
The project was the subject of a feature in Building magazine which can be viewed by clicking this link.
A stunningly designed building that fits beautifully into the complex street architecture of Gordon Street and one that has been built to the very highest standards. It will stand as one of UCL’s greatest buildings and the spirit of teamwork behind its design and construction will inspire the students who use it for generations to come.Professor Anthony Smith, Vice Provost UCL
Sustainability
The project has highly sustainable objectives achieving a BREEAM Outstanding rating just three months after opening. This is the highest possible rating, reflecting exceptional environmental, social and economic sustainability performance.
The sustainable occupation of the building is supported by durable materials, good thermal mass and controlled daylight. Embedded cooling pipes within the exposed concrete frame are connected to boreholes beneath the basement, providing free cooling as part of a low-energy low-carbon, mixed-mode strategy.
The project is destined to be a flagship for sustainability at the University and the team are targeting the highest possible levels of environmental performance.Green UCL
A student workplace
With four storeys above ground plus two basement levels, student workspace occupies the largest portion of the new building’s area.
A rich variety of learning and work environments has been provided. The spaces vary in character and size, creating different types of individual study and group collaboration settings, as well as more social learning areas. Spaces and furniture solutions have been designed to be flexible and adaptable to suit changing needs. All are IT resourced, with effective power provision.
The Student Centre imparts a strong sense of architectural ambition - and there's something inspiring about coming to work in the presence of ambition.Robert Vilkelis - UCL Student
The Nicholas Hare Architects team have shown extraordinary commitment to delivering an outstanding landmark project for UCL. It is an inspiring development of real quality that has required a genuinely collaborative approach, as well as design flair and a professional understanding of sustainability, value, innovation and best practice.David Young, UCL Estates Senior Project Manager
Our Team
- Robert Arthur
- Diego Ballini
- Chris Campion
- Dorien Cohen
- James Eades
- Russel Hayden
- Chris Mason
- Sandeep Sandhu
- Ruth Saxton
- David Tompson
- Javier Urena
- Alessandra Vella
Project Team
- Client: University College London (UCL)
- Client: University College London
- Project Management: Arcadis
- Cost Planning: AECOM
- Structural Engineer: Curtins
- Services Engineer: BDP
- Landscape Architect: Colour UDL
- Sustainability Consultant: Useful Projects
- Acoustician: BDP
- Fire Engineer: Arup
- Contractor: Mace
- Planning consultant: Deloitte
- Health and Safety: Frankham
- Photography: Alan Williams
Awards
- Winner: Civic Trust Awards
- Highly Commended: Concrete Society Awards
- Winner: AJ Architecture Awards, Higher Education
- Winner: LUX Awards, Office, Education & Healthcare Lighting
- Winner: Building Awards, Building Performance
- Shortlisted: Building Awards, Project of the Year
- Shortlisted: Selwyn Goldsmith Award for Universal Design, Civic Trust Awards
- Winner: Education Estates Awards, Project of the Year (Colleges & Universities)
- Winner: Education Estates Awards, Student Experience
- Overall Winner: Schueco Excellence Awards
- Winner: Education Building, Schueco Excellence Awards
- Winner: ICE Judges inspiration Award
- Highly Commended: BREEAM Awards
- Shortlisted: NLA Awards Sustainability Prize
- Shortlisted: NLA Awards Best Education Project
- Winner: Prix Versailles World Awards - Campuses, Special Prize - Interior
- Winner: RIBA London Award
- Winner: RIBA National Award
