Aluminium
Helping with a hat-trick at Brunel
Sheppard Robson ’ s third visit to Brunel is marked with Kawneer glazing systems .
Aluminium glazing systems by leading UK manufacturer Kawneer were “ fundamental ” in achieving the environmental performance and architectural vision for Sheppard Robson ’ s second revisiting of a key building at Brunel University London .
Kawneer ’ s AA ® 100 curtain wall , AA ® 540 vents , and series 190 and AA ® 720 doors were specified by the regular Kawneer users for the latest redevelopment of the Wilfred Brown Building at the university in Greater London .
The mullion-drained capped and SSG ( Structurally Silicone Glazed ) curtain wall forms a new sawtooth façade to the first and second floors and is complemented by the AA ® 540 window vents which are top-hung and also Structurally Silicone Glazed , series 190 heavy-duty doors to the main entrance , and the thermally-superior AA ® 720 doors .
Sheppard Robson had been working with Brunel since first master planning the campus in the early 1960s , designing the Wilfred Brown Building in 1968 , and then adding a rooftop extension to the structure in the 1990s .
This latest revisiting creates a new identity for the recently formed College of Engineering , Design and Physical Sciences and comprises the £ 13.8 million external and internal transformation of the 4,710m 2 building to create a new gateway at the western boundary of the university .
The primary driver in the development of the new Kawneer façade was the response to local environmental conditions - the west elevation employing the ‘ sawtooth ’ arrangement using clear glazed panels to the north west-facing elements , offering views out , and interstitial mesh to the west and south west-facing elements , to control solar gain .
The building was originally designed to accommodate university administration facilities and as such was previously heavily cellularised , with a double row of central columns . It abuts , but previously did not engage with , the adjacent Michael Sterling building to the east and unsuccessfully linked to the adjacent double-height council chamber via a single-storey circulation link , previously cut off from the ground floor by a small courtyard space .
Sheppard Robson Associate Neil Price said : “ We specified Kawneer ’ s curtain wall as a simple and elegant response to renewing the Wilfred Brown Building . It forms most of the building envelope and the sawtooth façade arrangement to the west elevation in particular was key to achieving the architectural vision for the project . They were fundamental in achieving both the environmental performance and architectural vision for the project .”
He added : “ The glazed elements and their sawtooth arrangement to the west elevation are key to the architectural language of the Wilfred Brown Building , enabling the existing 1960s structure to be adapted and reused , whilst creating a distinct and modern identity for the scheme .”
As part of the university ’ s Transformational Project ( TxP ) programme , and supported by the successful award of capital funding from the Higher Education Funding Council for England ( HEFCE ), Wilfred Brown has now been reinvented to create a new ‘ front door ’ for the college .
Internally , the ground floor has been opened up and a new double-height atrium constructed to the north , infilling an existing , underused courtyard and connecting the buildings to create a STEM learning centre .
This is a cutting-edge teaching facility aimed at engaging young learners through workshops with London schools . ‘ INSPIRE – The Brunel STEM Learning Centre ’ aims to engage learners from key stages one to five in science , technology , engineering , the arts , maths and medicine – areas in which the UK economy is forecast as having a future skills shortage .
The programme is delivered through a series of unique STEM workshops that are research inspired , curriculum linked and industry relevant – an innovation hub comprising part of the suite of technology-led learning spaces .
Three storeys of modern , open-plan academic workspace are housed on the
40 MARCH 2022 CLEARVIEW-UK . COM