Clearview National July 2019 - Issue 212 | Page 42
DOORS&WINDOWS
From Brutalist
to beautiful
The Templeman Library at the University
of Kent features multiple Kawneer systems.
» » A MULTI AWARD-
winning redevelopment of
a university library has used
architectural glazing systems
by leading UK manufacturer
Kawneer for their ability
to combine aesthetics with
performance and value for
money.
Kawneer’s aluminium AA®100
curtain walling, as zone-drained
capped and mullion-drained SSG
(Structurally Silicone Glazed)
versions, is complemented by
AA®100 concealed window vents,
AA®541 top-hung casement
window vents, AA®3610 vertical
sliding windows and AA®3572
lift/slide doors.
They were specified by regular
Kawneer users Penoyre & Prasad
architects for the £27 million
redevelopment, involving a new
extension to and refurbishment
of the existing building, of the
Templeman Library at the heart
of the University of Kent in
Canterbury.
Designed by Lord Holford
and constructed in three phases
between 1965 and 1990, the new-
look library was also constructed
in three phases, with the 5,400m2
new-build completed first,
and second and third phases
of 12,500m 2 refurbishment
following.
Penoyre & Prasad’s
competition-winning design
for the project creates a
vibrant contemporary building
for study, interaction and
exploration, bringing together
a variety of study and support
spaces, versatile collection and
exhibition space, and a teaching
suite.
Their approach was to reveal
the original building’s hidden
strengths by removing sections
of floor structure at each level in
the central core of the building
to let in daylight and create views
across the building, and replacing
the glazing with the Kawneer
curtain walling to weave the
new extension and the existing
building into one volume.
The treatment of the external
facade inverts the balance of the
original Brutalist architecture of
the building to create a strong
and holistic contemporary
architectural identity.
The new north entrance
was formed by glazing in a
services/delivery undercroft
with Kawneer curtain walling,
while remodelling of the existing
library included two entrance
extensions, improved vertical
circulation and re-glazing of
the entire façade, again with
Kawneer curtain walling.
42 » JUL 2019 » CL EARVI E W- UK . C O M
Penoyre & Prasad partner
Suzi Winstanley said: “We
specified the Kawneer products
for their value for money and
ability to combine aesthetics and
construction quality at the price
band, also their ability to achieve
the performance requirements.
“They are an extensive part of
the façade system, helping to keep
the building warm in winter and
cool in summer, allowing natural
ventilation to the library. A key
reason for aluminium was value
for money for the interior and
robustness for the exterior.”
She added: “The Kawneer
products helped us achieve
U-values for the external
envelope, allowing sufficient
daylight into the building whilst
dealing with glare. They create a
contemporary building of glass
and concrete, combining the
existing building with a new
extension and upgraded façade.
“The glazed elements allow
much more daylight into the
existing refurbished building and
enable the concrete elements of
the façade to hang lightly against
the glass façade at the entrance to
the existing building, inverting
the weight of the brick buttresses
of the existing building and
creating a clear and welcoming
entrance. At the junctions with
new concrete, existing concrete
and existing brickwork, the
glazing is the glue that ties all
these elements together.”
The bronze anodised mesh veil
of the extension façade forms
a sophisticated, sustainable
envelope that weaves the old and
new to create a distinctive flagship
building at the heart of the
university campus.
The new development provides
a wide variety of learning and
support spaces and
opportunities to share
knowledge through, including an
open-access teaching floor with
a distinctive resin-clad 250-seat
lecture theatre, eight seminar
rooms, group rooms, café,
exhibition space and a conference
catering and resource facility.
The redeveloped building has
achieved a BREEAM ‘Excellent’
rating, largely through the
architect’s simple but elegant
ventilation treatment, with
Kawneer’s opening windows
shielded by chain-like screens,
stack effect in the double-height
volume, and cross-ventilation to
cool the inner spaces. Both the
metal grillage and monumental
external fins serve to shade what
is otherwise a Kawneer glazed
wall.
The new-look library also
won the 2017 Graphisoft UK
BIM’s Public Sector Project
of the Year award and was
highly commended in the 2017
Concrete Society awards, and
was shortlisted for the 2018 AJ
Specification Technology award,
2018 AJ Refurbishment over
£20 million award, and 2018
AJ Retrofit Higher and Further
Education award.