Ethos

Some say that for todays learner education is a dish best served cold, but for the Ravensbourne community of learners, University is about being in a place of experiments, and also about being linked to the community.

Users

The community the Edudrome serves is international and local, the site adjacent to the O2 dome is to become the first in a series of instances of place-making, for this hybrid community. The International students’ population with its diverse ethnicities serves a model for the new London typology.

Rationale

Ravensbourne is the UK, specialist Design and communication Higher education institution, At its present rate of growth it doubles in size every 5 years,
To accommodate this vibrant international community, additional new strategy of space and place making has to be created. Using the analogy of education as a balanced meal, the existing building is joined by two new elements of the educational feast. The Edudrome will become the new focus for the institution, whilst the original building will be leveraged to provide income and as part of the joint venture development.

Partnership with industry
Matching the industry driven applied research ethos of Ravensbourne the new complex of buildings includes an historic redundant Gasholder re-built as a new film school in partnership with a leading film studios, The Edudrome, is a new iteration of the learning landscape, it’s a flexible hangar, into which the institution can grow and contract as its needs demand and also partnering with the local comment to provide knowledge sharing facilities, library, sports and meeting and conference rooms, to benefit all stakeholders.

Space use
Space use the large open floors provide flexible space, which can be further subdivided by perforated glass sliding screens for sound attenuation, whilst the bridges to the atrium frame and columns provides additional possibilities for the creation of new floors, and enclosures, Some of these will serve as laboratories for inflatable and new material inhabitation, further animating the atrium, which itself will be used for relaxation learning and performance.

Concept
To crate a new anchor building which excites open interchange between learners and researchers, the front of the building is a super sized screen, which at night real sys aspects of then days activities within, during the day passers by are invited to witness this hive of creativity, by being given access to the cafes, and restaurants within.

Sustainability

The skin of the building is a highly insulated quilted bag constructed from metalised reflecting fabric, with integral pockets, into which an integrated water fed growing wall is installed.
The end elevations are partly glazed, part solar collection panels, additional power is provided by an onsite biomass boiler.

The roof is a landscaped private park, with public access photovoltaic roofed cafe bar

Structure

A super sized portal frame hangar, populated with structural trays for the institution and the capacity to grow into the full height atrium, as required.

The lower floors contain the community shared facilities. The concrete thermal mass of the lower floors which also contain the sports centre and pool, helps to regulate the temperature of the inner environment all year round.