Design and engineering consultancy Atkins has been appointed to a £23m scheme to design a new School of Architecture and the Built Environment at the University of Wolverhampton.
The project is part of the University’s multi-million plans to transform the site of a former brewery into a centre of excellence for the Built Environment. The ‘Springfield Campus’ will transform higher education delivery in the region, responding to employer demand, and providing lifelong learning, research and innovation in one of the Black Country’s key growth sectors.
The new School of Architecture and the Built Environment will be built on the site of the former Springfield Brewery, one of the city’s most iconic landmarks which has been closed since 1991, and will be part new build and part refurbishment of the Grade II listed buildings currently on the site.
This will join the newly opened West Midlands Construction UTC – which is currently on site, and is due to open in its new home in November 2016 and the Elite Centre for Manufacturing Skills, which was recently announced by the Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership, and is due to open in November 2017.
“Projects like this are what architects dream of – not only will we be bringing a disused landmark back to life, but we’ll be creating a building that will inspire and nurture future architects,” said Philip Watson, Atkins design director. “Our appointment to a project this significant shows what huge progress Atkins has made in the higher education sector in the last year.”
Professor Geoff Layer, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Wolverhampton, said: “The Springfield Campus is a major part of our growth plan, which will generate £250m of investment over the next five years.
“It will provide a centre of excellence for the built environment which will be unrivalled in the UK and Europe and will provide education for school age children right the way through to undergraduates, postgraduates and professionals.
“It will provide another huge step forward in the regeneration of Wolverhampton and the Black Country and will boost the economy, provide key sector skills and create jobs.”
The School of Architecture and the Built Environment will move from the University’s city campus to its new Springfield Campus. It will be a smart specialisation hub in digital and environmental technologies, and will offer a full range of accredited undergraduate and postgraduate courses in architecture, civil engineering, and the Built Environment.
Commissioned under the HCA (Homes and Communities Agency) framework, Atkins will provide the University with a multidisciplinary team including architects and civil and structural engineers, with Faithful + Gould providing project management and quantity surveying.
Atkins and Faithful + Gould will work alongside CPW, who are providing MEP services, and Delta Planning, who are providing planning services, on the new School of Architecture and Built Environment. www.atkinsglobal.com