One of the standout features is a live tree in the main
study area which helps to create a calming environment for
students and symbolises the green credentials of both the
Library and the University.
Alex Solk, Partner from Sheppard Robson added: “It has
been a tremendous privilege to partner with Lancaster
University to develop proposals to re-generate a Library
to meet the expectations of this leading University.
Collaborating with researchers, students, academics and
library staff has enabled us to develop a design that will
create a step change in the learning offer provided by the
Library. Drawing on the latest research in design for higher
education, the new library will respond to the needs of all
students and staff both using the resources available today
and future-proofed to accommodate future learning styles.”
THE SPINE REMODELLING
The Spine is the beating heart of the University, a
thriving thoroughfare connecting students, staff and
visitors to the main locations on campus since the 1960s.
Rick Mather Architects have been appointed to remodel
the Spine and, whilst acknowledging the pioneering design
provided for the University campus in the 1960s, current
proposals focus on the demands and future needs of an
inspiring, modern university campus.
The team’s vision involves re-defining The Spine as a
sequence of spaces with enlivened building frontages, a
series of characterful connecting spaces and interesting
diagonal relationships to better connect the campus
together.
The project is currently in design and the architects are
seeking ideas from students and staff through the ‘Design
the Spine’ campaign.
Construction work will start on the Spine Remodelling
project in 2016.
REDEVELOPMENT OF LANCASTER UNIVERSITY
MANAGEMENT SCHOOL
Lancaster University Management School is a tripleaccredited, world-ranked management school which
features consistently in the UK’s top ten and the world’s top
1% of business schools.
The Management School has earned a global reputation
for leading research and teaching excellence, providing a
stimulating and supportive environment for students from
across the world.
The redevelopment project aims to create a truly worldclass and innovative teaching, research and business
engagement environment to cater for the future needs of
students, staff and business partners. It is anticipated that
the redevelopment will open by the summer of 2019.
Mark Swindlehurst, Director of Facilities at Lancaster
University commented: “Lancaster University values
the contribution that good design brings to its built
environment. We have engaged Feilden Clegg Bradley
Studios to embrace the challenge of designing a world-class
facility. We are keen to explore how recent developments
in design across Higher Education and Global Business can
combine to create world leading education and workspace
environments.”
SPORT LANCASTER
Lancaster University opened a brand new £20m Sports
Centre in August 2011 featuring the very latest in top-ofthe-range sporting facilities. Located just off the A6, the
centre is available to students, staff and to the general
public.
The design and development process of the Sports
Centre took two years and ensured a high-quality facility
with consideration to the surrounding area. The Centre is
30 percent bigger than the University’s previous Centre for
Sport and Recreation which was opened in 1967.
Facilities include: a 25-metre swimming pool with 8 lanes
including a ‘floating floor’ (to vary the depth of the pool);
a climbing wall & bouldering cave (specially designed with
input from renowned mountaineer and then University
Chancellor Sir Chris Bonington); sauna and steam rooms
and a sports hall with 8 badminton courts, 4 squash courts
and outdoor changing facilities for field games. There
is also a state-of-the art, 100-station gym on two levels.
External facilities include: 8 tennis courts, 3 artificial sports
pitches, 5 netball courts, various grass pitches, an artificial
cricket wicket, a bowling green and a trim trail.
The University Sports Facilities have been ranked 6th in
the UK by the Times Higher Education Student Experience
Survey and the Sports Centre’s sustainable design
credentials have been recognised with the award of a
BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating.
SUSTAINABILITY PRACTICE
Since 2005, Lancaster University has reduced its carbon
emissions by 22 percent to 20,403 tC02e in 2014-15 and is
aiming to increase this figure to 43% by 2020, in line with
Higher Education sector and UK Government targets – as
well as those targets set in its own Carbon Management
Plan (CMP).
The CMP incorporates a wide range of projects, including
the wind turbine, biomass boiler and Combined Heat and
Power plant.
The University is one of only 44 institutions that are on
track to meet or exceed their 2020 carbon reduction targets
set by the Higher Education Funding Council for England
(HEFCE).
Lancaster’s electricity usage is the equivalent of
powering 10,000 homes and more than a third of this
energy is supplied through a wind turbine and the
Combined Heat and Power plant.
WIND TURBINE
Among several pioneering, carbon reduction projects,
Lancaster University’s wind turbine was developed and
installed to reduce carbo