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14 January 2009
Sheffield´s £21.2 million investment in Arts and Humanities
A striking new building, which represents a multi-million pound investment in Arts and Humanities by the University of Sheffield, has been completed this week. The £21.2 million landmark development, which sits on the west corner of the former Jessop Hospital for Women site, will provide leading facilities for the University´s Department of History, School of English and the School of Modern Languages and Linguistics (SOMLAL).
Designed by Berlin architects Sauerbruch Hutton and taken to completion in collaboration with associate architects RMJM and with consulting engineers Arup, the environmentally friendly building, known as Jessop West, is an exciting addition to the architectural landscape of Sheffield. With its eye-catching coloured glass façade the building is a model of sustainability. It has many features built into the design to maximise energy efficiency and make the best use of natural light, including a living roof.
Constructed by Bowmer and Kirkland, the building is based around a central atrium with three different wings, one for each University department. Covering 5,900 square metres, the building will provide teaching space and staff offices for the University´s Faculty of Arts and Humanities and a stunning exhibition space. In addition, the building will house a brand new Visitor Centre and a café on the ground floor, which will be open to the public. Central hub space on each of the upper floors has also been incorporated into the design to encourage communication between staff and students from the various departments.
The Jessop West development resulted from a competition in 2005 when Sauerbruch Hutton won a competitive interview to design a master plan for the Jessop Hospital for Women site which the University had acquired.
The innovative building design was formed from an objective to provide a ground floor for public and student activities and the upper floors for departmental activities and accommodation. This is clearly reflected in the differentiated façade treatment of Jessop West. On the ground floor there is a sequence of large-scale curtain wall systems, while on the upper floors the façade comprises a cladding of stainless steel and coloured glass. The striking figure of the three wings, reinforced by variations in height, ranging from three to five upper floors, originates from the architects´ desire to allow distinct identities for each of the departments within a centralised building. This notion is supported by the colour treatment of the façades, with each department wing having their own colour, which is displayed internally and externally.
The building demonstrates innovation in sustainable design. It is naturally ventilated and the concrete soffits have been left exposed to take advantage of thermal mass for night cooling. Moreover, the west façade, oriented towards the busy Brook Hill roundabout, provides both sound protection and natural ventilation.
This impressive building is the latest in a series of University developments for the Arts and Humanities faculty in the Portobello area of the city, which have totalled £33 million. Alongside Jessop West, the developments include the recently completed Soundhouse building, a state-of-the-art rubber box development, which will provide practice studios, rehearsal spaces and recording rooms for the University´s Department of Music and the renovated Victorian Wing of the old Jessop Hospital for Women, known as the Jessop Building. Carefully restored and renovated, the Jessop Building will also become home to the Department of Music.
Professor Keith Burnett, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sheffield, said: "Here at Sheffield we are committed to creating an environment for our staff and students that supports and promotes achievement and success. Jessop West demonstrates this commitment. The architects have created a state-of-the-art building, which will bring together our Arts and Humanities departments in a central hub, allowing them to share ideas and expertise.
He added: "We are extremely proud to have been able to transform a once derelict site and create an excellent teaching and learning hub, café facilities for the local community and a piece of iconic architectural design for the city and the region."
Professor Phil Powrie, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at the University of Sheffield: "I am delighted to be moving to Jessop West with colleagues from the faculty. Until now the Arts and Humanities departments have been spread over the campus but this new central facility has allowed us to bring our three largest departments closer together. With the Department of Music moving into our recently renovated Jessop Building and the University´s Humanities Research Institute positioned opposite Jessop West, we have established a creative hub for the faculty, which I am certain will benefit students and staff alike."
Professor Tony Crook, Chair of the University´s Project Executive Group that is overseeing the Jessop redevelopment, said: "I want to take this opportunity to thank all those who have been involved with this project, including colleagues in Estates and the project managers Turner and Townsend, who have helped turn the University´s vision into a reality. This project has been a real team effort and the outcome is a fantastic, state-of-the-art building."
Louisa Hutton, from Sauerbruch Hutton, said: "After 20 years of practice all over Europe, Jessop West is our first substantial building in the UK that has been completed. Following a fruitful collaboration with RMJM, we are content to see the way that the building now sits within its immediate context, contributing to the renewal of the city of Sheffield and the consolidation of the University in its urban setting.
"We very much hope that Jessop West, with its Visitor Centre on the ground floor, will help to establish a new heart for the University and that in doing so it will be enthusiastically received by staff and students of the University as well as by the citizens of Sheffield."
Dana Raydan, Associate at RMJM, said: "RMJM´s partnership with a forward thinking university and a meticulous contractor, Bowmer and Kirkland, resulted in a building of exceptional quality, setting a new benchmark in Design & Build procurement.
"RMJM took on the project which was designed by Sauerbruch Hutton from detailed design to completion, maintaining a successful and rewarding collaboration throughout."
Steve Chambers, Area Director at Bowmer & Kirkland Ltd, said: "We are extremely proud to have developed the old Jessop Hospital for Women site for such a prestigious client and it is wonderful to be associated with such a landmark building for both the University and the city."
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