Bioscience Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Building

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Nottingham University Bioscience Building

Bioscience Sutton Bonington, England, UK Architecture Information – design by make architects

1 Jun 2010

Bioscience Nottingham

Construction commences on largest straw bale building in the UK

In March Rushcliffe Borough Council Planners granted planning approval for the largest prefabricated straw bale construction project in the UK, located at the University of Nottingham’s agricultural campus in Sutton Bonington.

Construction commenced in late May on the 3,100 sq m building designed by Make, which will bring together the School of Biosciences and the School of Veterinary and Medical Sciences (SVMS) for the first time. With a value of £7 million, the building will take 12 months to complete and will house a combination of laboratories and office space.

Bioscience Nottingham Building Nottingham University Bioscience Building Nottingham University Bioscience

Tim Brooksbank, Development Director at the University of Nottingham’s Estate Department, said: “Bringing high tech facilities into a rural setting, the Bioscience SVMS building is a crucial part of our development plans for the Sutton Bonington Campus and sets the standard for what we hope will be a visionary phase of development.”

Neil Crout, Professor in Environmental Modelling at the University of Nottingham, said: “We are delighted that work has started on these new state-of-the-art and purpose built facilities. The excellent integration of laboratory and office areas will deliver a huge improvement in our research and teaching environment”

Bob Leung, Project Architect at Make, said: “The Bioscience SVMS building will provide a new benchmark for innovative design; with a relatively small budget and scale, the project is still achieving landmark credentials as the largest prefabricated straw bale project in the UK. It proves that environmentally sustainable measures and materials do not need to be sacrificed in the face of a tough economic market.”

Timber and straw used in the construction will be sourced locally from the University’s own farmland and will push the boundaries of current straw bale construction technology to deliver a modern, distinctive building while using traditional construction methods.

The building has been positioned to minimise solar gain and interact with its surroundings; the façade design takes its inspiration from the natural rhythm of the tree line adjacent to the site and the building will achieve BREEAM Excellent rating.

It is the first stage of a 20-year masterplan for the campus which aims to enhance its reputation as a primary destination for the study of plant and animal sciences. The long-term aim is to transform the site into a wholly sustainable and people-focused development, befitting its status as a leading educational establishment.

The design team comprises Couch Perry Wilkes, Price and Myers, Sand Project Management and WSP.

Make completed three buildings, landscaping and the UK’s tallest sculpture for The University of Nottingham’s Jubilee Campus Extension in summer 2008.

Nottingham Bioscience – Further Information

The University of Nottingham

The University of Nottingham is ranked in the UK’s Top 10 and the World’s Top 70 universities by the Shanghai Jiao Tong (SJTU) and Times Higher (THES) World University Rankings. It provides innovative and top quality teaching, undertakes world-changing research, and attracts talented staff and students from 150 nations. Described by The Times as Britain’s “only truly global university”, it has invested continuously in award-winning campuses in the United Kingdom, China and Malaysia.

Twice since 2003 its research and teaching academics have won Nobel Prizes. The University has won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in both 2006 (International Trade) and 2007 (Innovation – School of Pharmacy).

Make Architects

Make is a studio of highly creative architects and designers, committed to designing buildings, spaces and places which are as striking and innovative as they are socially, economically and environmentally responsible. Founded by Ken Shuttleworth in 2004, Make has already established itself as one of the UK’s foremost architectural firms, with studios in London, Birmingham, Abu Dhabi and Beijing. The practice is working on projects ranging in scale from residential towers, mixed use schemes and office developments to sport, schools and universities to hospitals and urban masterplans.

Nottingham Bioscience information from make

Make Architects

Location: Nottingham, central England, UK

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