The University of Warwick
The University of Warwick
The University of Warwick initially sought expressions of interest from Architect-led multidisciplinary design teams for the design of a new building to host the Faculty of Arts. Known as the 'Faculty of Arts Development'. Following the initial application stage, five teams were shortlisted to take part in the design phase of the competition.
The University of Warwick were looking for designs for a flexible new building that encouraged collaboration and allowed creativity and innovation to flourish amongst its users.
The Faculty of Arts at Warwick is one of the World's top 50 Arts and Humanities faculties. It is made up of eight departments currently housed in the existing Humanities Building and spilling into another academic building: Millburn House. The new building will reunite these departments, fulfilling one of the Faculty's primary objectives. With this, it will contribute significantly to the enhancement of the Central Campus, provide an architecturally outstanding environment which demonstrates the Faculty of Art's ambitions and become a destination for it's global community of students, academics and visitors.
The University of Warwick's main campus is located on the south-west fringe of Coventry on the border with Warwickshire, just 30 minutes by train to Birmingham and one hour to London. The site for the Faculty of Arts Development lies at the heart of this vibrant campus in a prominent, strategically important location. It is close to key buildings including the Library, the Students' Union, the Social Sciences Building, Warwick Arts Centre and the recently completed Teaching & Learning Building.
1.5 MB .PDF
With Buro Happold Engineering and Uncommon Landscape Consultants.
The architecture of the proposed building is the synthesis of a response to the site and the brief which is felt to be critical to this landscape dominated campus.
In uniting departments from the main existing faculty building and from other locations around the campus, this building will not only become the focus of cultural value but also a key destination within the University, which will further provoke interaction and learning and research from the whole University community and beyond.
“This exciting project continues to raise the bar in the standards of the facilities we provide to support teaching and research on our campus, further enhancing the staff and student experience we seek to offer at Warwick. I'm extremely pleased that the new building, in close proximity to the Warwick Arts Centre, also further strengthens the University's appeal as a cultural destination, creating space to engage with our local community through a range of opportunities including: language training, access to fantastic performance and exhibition zones, and other activities to support Coventry's Cultural Strategy.”
Professor Stuart Croft, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Warwick
The brief requires this building to be open, inviting, flexible, progressive, and impressive which FCB feel they have achieved both internally and externally across a whole series of varying scales.
Their approach has been to consider the brief as much from the detailed requirements of an academic staff office as to its role in the master plan thorough to the enabling impact it will have for the Faculty in its unification for the University nationally and internationally as a centre for collaboration, creativity, innovation and above all inspiration and interaction.
“The competition has been immensely valuable in generating a wealth of ideas for a building that will serve students, staff and the public over the coming decades. The successful architects, Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios will be helping us move into the exciting next phase of the development as we look to create a building that is open, inviting and flexible, allows collaboration, creativity and innovation to flourish, and acts as a hub both for public engagement in the humanities and for nurturing cultural value.”
Professor Simon Gilson, Chair of the Arts Faculty
“An exceptionally high standard of work at all stages of the process defined this RIBA competition for a new Faculty of Arts building at Warwick. The breadth and thoughtfulness of each submission was admired and appreciated by the jury. This has been a hard-fought win for Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios who shone in an extremely strong field. The jury's decision was unanimous and I look forward to seeing an exceptional building in years to come that will help the University continue to achieve its aim of ongoing academic excellence.”
Cindy Walters, RIBA Adviser
The University of Warwick received five strong submissions from the shortlisted teams. Here is a concept image from each of the four remaining shortlisted teams.
024 761 51049
