About The Project

The competition brief called for a building that would be visible and open to the community. Our response was to design a six-storey glazed building which has a strong night-time identity, when it is lit up like a shop window. Consideration had to be given to providing controlled access into and out of the building, and the need to accommodate large circulation spaces due to classes ending at the same time, more like a school than the FE College that was originally intended. Glazed stair towers at the end of the building are designed as social, as well as circulation, spaces and are popular meeting places for the students. Wide brightly coloured corridors have windows to bring life and light into the spaces and help orientation. Since its completion, the building has contributed towards significant improvements in the College’s rates of intake, retention and achievement.