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MST and PFC, Queen’s University Belfast
The MST & PFC (Main Site Tower and Peter Frogatt Centre) at Queens, links and transforms the interiors of two outdated 1960’s university buildings, into a contemporary teaching and learning environment – where the challenge of knitting together of old and new extended to having to work with existing upper floor to floor heights of just 2.7m.
The uppermost storeys of the MST were demolished, both buildings stripped back to their frames, with openings cut into existing floor slabs (to create mini atria) and a steel frame clipped onto each of the existing tower faces to increase the developable footprint.
The buildings are linked by a triple height entrance hall that also functions as a student hub.
Details
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Client
Queen's University Belfast
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Locations
Belfast
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Role
Architect / Lead Consultant / BIM Implementation
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Stage
Complete 2016
Awards
2018 Brick Awards: Refurbishment - Winner
2018 Civic Trust Awards: Education - Regional Winner
2017 CEF Construction Excellence Awards: Education Infrastructure - Finalist
2017 Irish Construction Industry: Retrofitting/ Renovation Project of the Year - Winner
2017 Building & Architect of the Year Award: Building of the Year - Educational - Winner
2017 Irish Construction Industry: Education Project of the Year - Winner
2017 RICS: Design through Innovation
2017 RICS: Grand Final Awards - Highly Commended
2017 Brick Awards: Refurbishment - Winner
Externally the facades were refaced in a restricted palette of materials – red clay brickwork, glazed screens and bronze anodised panels. They have been sensitively composed to respond to the historic context, with broad brick reveals and soffits, combined with extended curtain wall capping pieces, to provide a depth and layering to the elevations, consciously echoing the Victorian detailing of neighbouring listed buildings.
The complex is naturally ventilated, as part of a low energy design strategy, achieving a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating, with each façade “engineered” through analysis by way of a thermal model. The exposed existing concrete slab (retaining embedded carbon) assists in heating and cooling in winter and summer months.
Demolition started in the summer of 2014, with the complex occupied on programme and on budget in September 2016. The scheme has received several national and international design and construction awards and accolades since its completion, including a Civic Trust Award and Irish Education building of the year in 2017.
Demolition started in the summer of 2014, with the complex occupied on programme and on budget in September 2016. The scheme has received several national and international design and construction awards and accolades since its completion, including a Civic Trust Award and Irish Education building of the year in 2017.
From Queen's University Belfast’s perspective, this was a challenging assignment for a very high-profile location. We are extremely pleased with the successful outcome and TODD Architects should feel rightly proud of what has been achieved – the response of staff, students and visitors to the campus has been overwhelmingly positive. We have, in my view, significantly enhanced the main campus from the perspective of University Road, University Square and of course the quad itself – and in so doing, we have also added to the built environment of the City.