VISION Issue 46 | Page 19

19 “Some architecture has an uncanny knack of appearing right at home – as though it always belonged. It’s some feat to fit quite so effortlessly into a copse of trees on the university’s grassy slopes without disturbing the natural order.” VISION Were you surprised to learn that your temporary building is now permanent? Well, you can never account for the brief you’re going to end up with, and originally, as you say, this was to be a temporary structure, so it was designed to be assembled and then potentially disassembled at some future stage and reused in another location. However with the client so delighted by the completed building, they wish to keep it in its current location. So even if the current occupants move on to another facility, other university users will inhabit this building for a design life of 50 years and hopefully even beyond that. Rather than the random holes left over by the builder, you show special regard for occupants with your treatment of glazing. We revelled with some joy where we could bring glass together in a corner condition. It’s so unique to be able to do that, and it really opens a building out to its landscape where you can look in two directions, or more than one direction through the same corner. It’s a really lovely opportunity that glass gives you in this way.