Cardiff School of Management

Category Built Environment Design
Client UWIC
Agency / Designer Austin-Smith:Lord LLP

Brief

The RIBA Award Winning Cardiff School of Management provides accommodation for 160 staff and 2000 students totalling approximately 8008m2. The Client required a ‘signature’ building of high architectural quality that addressed Sustainability issues and achieved a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating. This is what we delivered. The following aspects were derived from the briefing process and informed the building design: • State of the art facilities to compete with the best business schools • High quality and dramatic visual appearance • Maximise view towards Llandaff Cathedral spire • Atrium to provide social heart • Relationship to campus buildings and main approach route • Internal accommodation - teaching and learning spaces, academic workspaces, Enterprise Centre, Hospitality Suite and training kitchen lecture theatres, reception and administration, social learning spaces, meeting rooms, Mentoring Suite and Café, • BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating • An accessible School that unites staff and students, and engages with the business world.

Result

Since opening in September 2010 the School has earned more than it cost to build. It is a feature of the Welsh business and academic scene and is commonly used for events. Student applications have risen by 25%, against a 4% increase in applications in Wales. Post graduate students voted UWIC the number one University in the UK in terms of overall satisfaction and their experience with teaching and other aspects of student life. The School provides a landmark project to kickstart the regeneration of this area of Llandaff, which seeks to improve the quality of the buildings and encourages improved interaction with the community. “This spectacular new building gives us the opportunity to innovate and develop an exemplar of what a modern management school is all about - strong in learning and teaching, research and enterprise and accessible to the local community.” David Pritchard, Dean - Cardiff School of Management

Solution

The design comprises accommodation set either side of an atrium which runs the length of the building. A three storey wing houses the main entrance, administration area, hospitality suite and academic workspaces. On the opposite side, a four storey wing houses teaching spaces. The site context is dominated by Llandaff Cathedral and views to its spire. The atrium provides the building’s social heart. A feature staircase rises from ground to third floor and bridges at each level. A lecture theatre cantilevers over the entrance, positioned on the main axis of approach through the campus and provides a dramatic visual stop-end. Blue brickwork provides high quality facing to the ground floor of the three storey wing. The upper two floors are expressed as an elongated ‘box’ clad in copper. The four storey wing on the south west side is faced in white render and is inset with bays of windows.