London South Bank University Student Centre

Completed in December 2012 and with the official opening taking place by LSBU's Chancellor Richard Farleigh in June 2013, the new Student Centre at London South Bank University represents the first ‘anchor' within London South Bank University's Estate Strategy to revitalise the campus with enhanced public realm improving connections and legibility between campus and urban fabric of the area.

The infilling of the undercroft area below the Tower Building provides new student and support facilities and important public realm entrances from Borough Road and Kell Street. A number of quality London Plane trees line Borough Road and more varied planting of Alder, Sweet gum and Beech create a strong tree framework but also add to a shady site.

The landscape design creates a more attractive public realm with an ‘outward-looking' campus with a very special sense of place with life and activity to the enhanced Kell Street and Public Square on Borough Road. Using a high quality palette of materials inspired by the history and heritage of the site with semi mature tree planting and rich sensory shrub and herbaceous perennial beds to promote and enhance biodiversity for urban ecology.

Drawing inspiration from history, most notably David Bomberg - one of the Whitechapel Boys - who taught at the University in the 1940's and 50's, the aim for the rejuvenated public realm gateway was for a dynamic ‘carpet' of quality granite setts that draws out the strong geometry of the undercroft structure into the landscape.

This rigidity of structure is fractured and exploded with highlights of linear inground lighting, contrasting granite planks and granite and timber benches that draw pedestrians in from Borough Road but also allow for colonisation and use throughout the day.

By night, the architectural glazed screen frontage provides interesting reflections of the illuminated Borough Road landscape, while in Kell Street the new landscape areas allow for outside use for the Student Union bar.

Overview

  • Project Name

    London South Bank University Student Centre

  • Location

    London

  • Category

    Education

  • Landscape Architect

    B|D Landscape Architects

  • Client

    London South Bank University

  • Brief

    Creation of contemporary public realm gateways for university students and public.

  • Awards

    Shortlisted for RIBA 2013 London Region Award and 2013 Design Week Awards

Details

  • Project Team

    Architect: HawkinsBrown Architects LLPQuantity Surveyor/Project Manager: Gardiner & Theobald LLPStructural Engineers: Conisbee & Associates LtdM&E Engineers: TGA Consulting Engineers LLP

  • Local planning authority or government body

    Southwark Council

  • Year Completed

    2012

  • Project Size

    10,500m²

  • Contract Value

    '£7.42m (of which '£0.75m landscape budget)

  • Capital Funding

    London South Bank University

  • Ongoing Funding

    London South Bank University

Technicals

  • Planting

    - Trees – 1 no. semi mature Ginkgo biloba and 5 no. multistem Amelanchier lamarckii (in planters) - Shrubs - herbaceous and groundcover planting including Echinacea purpurea; Hedera colchica; Lavandula angustifolia ‘Hidcote’; Liriope ‘Big Blue’; Rudbeckia fulgida ‘Goldsturm’. - Grasses - Calamagrostis acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’; Miscanthus sinensis ‘Kleine Silberspinne’; Panicum virgatum ‘ Rehbraun’. - Climbers - Parthenocissus quinquefolia. - Clipped Buxus sempervirens hedging; Sarcococca hookeriana var digyna ‘Purple Stem’. - Bulbs - Allium Christophii, Giganteum and Hollandicum ‘Purple Sensation’; Galanthus nivalis; Narcissus ‘February Gold’; Tulipa ‘Purple Prince’

  • Materials

    50mm cube granite setts colour Kobra with highlights of large planks of granite in colour Cloudy White all with a flamed textured finish to main entrances.Irish Blue limestone kerbs to Kell Street and kerb edge to Borough Road planting bed.Linear benches of Granite cube blocks colour Kobra, some with hewn edges to top, some with timber slatted seats suppliedTimber slatted benches to Kell Street.Tarmac Mastertint Stone Mastic Asphalt colour Light Grey.Galvanised steel edges to low linear planting beds in Kell Street.Addastone resin bonded gravel colour Silver/Grey to path in Kell Street.Addasett resin bound gravel colour Lucerne Silver to path from Southwark Bridge Road.

  • Suppliers

    Paving supplier: Hardscape 

  • Contractors

    Mansell Construction Services LtdHard Landscape Sub Contractor: Galldris ConstructionSoft Landscape Sub Contractor: Baylis Landscape Contractors

  • B|D Landscape Architects

    Registered Practice - (3 - 5 Employees)
    Profile

  • Approximate Map Location

    Location

    London

  • Share