GROWTH
LSP sits at the intersection
of the two university
campuses, near the iconic
Metropolitan Cathedral
T h e l at e st i n n o vat i o n d i str i c t
th i n k i n g shows u r b a n sol u t i o n s
underpin the de velopment of
p h y s i c a l t e c hn o l o gy s pa c e s
key locational decision was to find a site
which was broadly equidistant to the
city’s two main universities. It just so
happened that the main campuses for the
universities intersected very close to the
city centre. Decision made for the first
building. LSP’s creators were clearly
unwittingly ahead of their time! The
second building location was trickier
because the then Regional Development
Agency (and key early funder) had a
policy of looking to put all new facilities
on a site which they had acquired two
miles away. We prevailed and dodged a
bullet – the second building was located
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less than 100 yards away from the first.
Finally, the third building was a superb,
creative effort by our architects, Ryder, to
use what limited space we had around the
first building whilst utilising the main
reception of the first.
T h e i n n o v at i o n D i st r i ct
As the latest Innovation District thinking
shows, not only is the world moving
towards urban solutions generally,
but this is underpinning many of the
developments in physical space for
technology based companies. I am always
vaguely agnostic about new theories
which seem to encapsulate everything as
if there were a chemical formula and if
followed, irrespective of anything else,
that success will follow. However, what I
do like about these theories is that they
invariably capture the mood of the time
and provide a narrative which breathes
life into those truths. There’s no doubt
that cities and urban living are where
younger people want to be. There’s
equally no doubt that living, working and
socialising in the same broad area is a key
consideration. Car parking is less of an
issue because people walk, cycle and look
for a more joined up travel experience.
In a world where information can travel
the globe in a nano-second, deals and
relationships are still done face to face.
Trust is built over a coffee and sometimes
something stronger. The fact that we have
more than 50 eating and drinking venues
within five minutes’ walk of here has been
invaluable in that respect. People who
occupy these spaces don’t want to be
shepherded to pre-ordained, sterile Open