An extensive refurbishment of the university’s London Road building brings together a library, lecture theatres and other amenities as well as providing services for the community. Photography by Edmund Sumner
The project radically transforms London South Bank University’s (LSBU) London Road building as part of a wider regeneration of St George’s Quarter, to create an open and inviting centrepiece for its main Southwark campus. Conceived as an inclusive hub for the university, the extensive refurbishment and redesign brings together a library, lecture theatres, fitness facilities, teaching rooms, informal learning spaces and catering amenities to support students and staff, as well as providing services for the local community.
Located north of Elephant and Castle, the existing 1970s concrete-framed building was (and is) the largest academic building on LSBU’s main campus, providing about a fifth of the University’s total teaching and learning space. A feasibility study identified the negative impact that the blank external façades, warren-like interiors and poor accessibility were having upon the building’s users. The university pointed to a need to allow the building to work in a communal, co-operative, and collaborative way while retaining the key large volumes of the building. Through adaptive re-use, we have resolved these issues, opening up the 20,000m2 space to improve and enhance user experience while future-proofing the building for years to come. The building has achieved a BREEAM Very Good rating and, by retaining the existing structure, the total embodied carbon is half the RIBA 2030 Climate Challenge target benchmark. Nat Keast, associate, WilkinsonEyre
Start on site January 2020 Completion April 2022 Gross internal area 20,466m² Construction cost £47.3 million Constuction cost per m2£2,313 Architect WilkinsonEyre Client London South Bank University Structural engineer Eckersley O’Callaghan M&E consultant BDP Quantity surveyor Fulkers Bailey Russell Project manager Fulkers Bailey Russell Principal designer RPP Approved building inspector Jhai Main contractor Wilmott Dixon Interiors Landscape architect Churchman Thornhill Finch Fire consultant Tenos Façade consultant Eckersley O’Callaghan Acoustic consultant BDP Planning consultant BDP CAD software used Revit Annual CO2 emissions 29 kgCO2 /m2 (predicted) Predicted design life 50 years Embodied/whole-life carbon 375 kgCO2 e/m2
Externally, we specified Schüco aluminum curtain walling systems, as they were able to be used in alternative ways to express the variations across the scheme. The system was used with spandrel panels and standard perimeter caps within the glassfibre reinforced concrete (GRC) cladding module, but with frameless transoms. Fin profile caps were used on the levels above and below the GRC areas, alongside capless systems to form slots adjacent to the brickwork cores.
Fin profiles in combination with structural glazing joints and more subtle T-caps were also used to characterise the main entrance screen, lantern corners and glazing along the prominent London Road elevation.
Internally, the challenge was to find cost-effective yet durable products, particularly for the floor finishes. Interface Employ carpet tiles and Conica Coniflor resin floors were selected to achieve this combination, as well as for some good sustainability aspects. Nat Keast, associate, WilkinsonEyre
From an early stage, glassfibre reinforced concrete (GRC) was identified as an ideal material to use on the project to provide the desired civic aesthetic but also to avoid adding significant loads to the existing structure. We worked closely with the subcontractor, Tellings, at the design stage to develop the three-dimensional panels, as well as vertical fins and horizontal banding. Alongside the Bromo 100% White brick with white mortar used on the existing concrete stair cores and shear walls, the GRC helped to transform the perception of the building.
We had to fight hard to hold on to the GRC through various value engineering exercises but the university was supportive and could appreciate the impact the new façade would have.
Another early-stage decision was to use timber linings inside to complement and soften the exposed concrete coffered structure. We initially looked at oak slats and fins but switched to birch ply. This was also a cost benefit, but we felt it was actually more appropriate and suited the slightly more raw feel of the interior, along with exposed services, perforated metal acoustic rafts, resin floors and steel mesh balustrades. Its lightness was also a factor that we thought could contribute to an uplifting interior, in contrast with the institutional and sterile character of the existing building. Nat Keast, associate, WilkinsonEyre
Brickwork The Bespoke Brick Company Bromo 100% White External brickwork bespokebrick.com
Curtain wall systems Schüco FW50+/60+ SG, sealed Various glazed screens schueco.com
Glazed doors Schüco ADS 65 HD Main entrance, terrace and courtyard access schueco.com
Opening windows Schüco AWS-114 70 BS.HI Keyworth Street elevation schueco.com
Revolving doors Boon Edam Crystal Tourniket revolving doors Main entrance lobby boonedam.com
Glass louvres Hahn Tairmo Allglass glass louvre system Main entrance glazed screen hahn-lamellenfenster.de
Glazed planks Pilkington Profilit Double Glazed Thomas Doyle Street elevation pilkington.com
Rooflights Velux Modular Longlights Library and concourse roof areas velux.co.uk
Blue roof Soprema UK Duoflex System Main Roof soprema.co.uk
Zinc roof Rheinzink Blue Grey Protect Standing Seam Entrance lobby roof rheinzink.co.uk
External metal doors Assa Abloy Clandeboye Escape stairs assaabloy.com
Resin floors Conica Coniflor IPS/LPC+ Concourse, main circulation and WC areas, refectory and gym spaces conica.co.uk
Carpet Interface Employ Loop Library, lecture theatres and teaching rooms interface.com
Sports flooring Gerflor Taraflex Evolution Fitness studio gerflor.co.uk
Ceiling tiles and rafts SAS International Ceiling System 330 Ceilings, Raft System 600 Rafts throughout study areas sasint.co.uk
Acoustic panels Ecophon Solo, Rectangle Lecture theatre soffits ecophon.com
Internal glazed screens Northgate Basic, Vision DG Various internal screens northgateuk.com
Cubicle systems TBS Amwell Impact, Splash WCs/changing rooms tbs-amwell.co.uk
Raised floors Kingspan Access Floors RG Series Open plan library area accessflooring-systems.com
Internal doors Shadbolt Shadcore Internal doors generally shadbolt.co.uk
Lecture theatre seating Auditoria Services LT1 Lecture theatres auditoria-services.com
Library shelving Rackline Monotrak Mobile Storage, Proform Shelving Systems Library rackline.com
Tags London South Bank University Retrofit WilkinsonEyre
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