Essex University Lecture Hall

The Lecture Hall is a new building within the central campus of the University at Wivenhoe Park. The original plan of the campus, prepared in 1963, proposed a small university town forming a concentrated urban framework within Wivenhoe Park. The new lecture hall plugs in to this matrix in a sympathetic way.

A bright building
Located near Colchester, this new Lecture hall completed at the end of 2006 is a new shining addition to the University of Essex Campus. Sited in the central part of the campus, the new oval- shaped building surprises and reflects with its unusual form and composition of materials, including stainless steel, glass, brick and fair-faced concrete. The building, one of the largest lecture halls of any UK higher education institution, provides the University with an academic lecture and theatre facility with a seating capacity of 1,000 people. As a venue, the facilities can be sub-divided into two independent parts, enabling the University to organize and host exhibitions, conferences and examinations.

The oval form of the auditorium is partially buried into the steeply sloping site. The structure of the building is formed of in situ concrete. The upper section is clad in UGIBRIGHT stainless steel with blue-grey engineering brick below. The glazed fair-faced concrete entrance foyer frames views across the landscape to a lake and is linked by a bridge to the main University concourse. On the internal side of the building, the walls are built with a mix of concrete, block work and partition walls, forming an acoustic barrier for the main auditorium.

Dramatic cladding
Initially imagined to be covered with copper, the building features UGIBRIGHT stainless steel cladding. UGIBRIGHT, a high reflective stainless steel chosen by the architects for its aesthetic aspect, gives a specific "signature" to the building itself. Staggered interlocking shingles perfectly follow the oval shape of the building Traditional interlocking shingles used as a cladding solution; UGIBRIGHT reflects its surroundings whilst playing with the light, a true chameleon.

"We chose UGIBRIGHT stainless steel cladding for the Auditorium because its reflective qualities help distinguish it as a landmark building by paradoxically dissolving the form into the landscape", explains Andrew Taylor, Patel Taylor partner.

Traditionally used by sub-contractors, the shingle technique selected by the architect perfectly forms the oval shape of the building. Easy to install, the shingles dimensions here are of 2000 mm x 450 mm.

Text: Patel Taylor