London South Bank University

Buildable

"Glass Fibre Concrete (GRC) was identified early on as the ideal material for the project to achieve the desired civic aesthetic but also to avoid adding significant stress to the existing structure." - Nat Keast, Associate, Wilkinson-Eyre.

Designable

The project is an AJ Retrofit Higher Education & Campus Award 2023.

The lightweight, three-dimensional GRC cladding panels featuring a stylisation of LSBU’s “sail” emblem give the building a welcoming, civic quality.

"We worked closely with subcontractor Tellings during the design phase to develop the three-dimensional panels, as well as vertical slats and horizontal bands. Alongside the 100% white bromo brick with white grout used for the existing concrete stair cores and shear walls, GRC helped change the perception of the building.

"We had to fight hard to keep the GRC through various value engineering exercises, but the university supported us and was able to appreciate the impact of the new facade." - Nat Keast, Associate, Wilkinson-Eyre.

Sustainable

The building has received a very good BREEAM rating and by retaining the existing structure, total embodied carbon is half of the RIBA 2030 Climate Challenge target benchmark.