Students Union, University of Warwick
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Peter Durant (website) Download Original
Remodelling of Students Union building, a concrete structure built in the late 1960s
The redevelopment has provided an orienting element separating the large open area into distinct zones. The building has a strong structural language, generated by the coffered slab and chamfered walls.
The current campus masterplan identifies the opportunity to form a plaza marking the entrance to the campus, through a continuous surface and revitalised building frontages. The plaza cafe and terrace bar provide that active frontage along the front elevation.
The key to the flexibility of the redeveloped building is the central atrium, formed by the internalisation, extension and refit of the existing external courtyard space.
The atrium provides an acoustic buffer and clear circulation route between surrounding bar areas; during the day the rooflit space provides seating for students and staff served by a cafe and juice bar. At night, bars spill out into the seating zones around the space, and form a large foyer to the nightclub at the back of the building.
The nightclub extension to the rear of the building is formed of simple volumes; an additional double-height stage is contained within a chamfered horse-shoe wall which also provides an external terrace to the expanded ‘Graduate’ pub above.
Data
- Begun: Jul 2008
- Completed: Aug 2009
- Floor area: 5,500m2
- Sector: Education
- Total cost: £11.5M
- Procurement: JCT 2005
- Address: Warwick Students Union, Gibbett Hill Road, Coventry, CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
Professional Team
- Architect: MJP Architects
- Project architect: Joe Wrigley
- Client: University of Warwick
- Quantity surveyor: Northcroft
- Structural engineer: Arup
- Acoustic consultant: Bickerdike Allen
- Fire consultant: Arup Fire
- Main contractor: Moss Construction
- Services engineer: Couch Perry & Wilkes
Suppliers
- Asphalt terrazzo flooring: Guaranteed Asphalt
- Copper Soffit: Cotswold Metal Roofing
- Glulam beams: Lilleheden ltd
- Catering Equipment: Garners Food Service Equipment
- Frameless glazing/polycarbonate: Galebaker Architectural Systems
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