From the architect. The ground-breaking Diamond building at The University of Sheffield has now been completed, making a major contribution to the University’s ambition to develop and expand its Faculty of Engineering with world-class facilities for students and academics.
Designed by Twelve Architects* and constructed by Balfour Beatty, the building – named The Diamond after its unique façade – is a 19,500m2 facility, housing specialist engineering laboratories, lecture theatres, large scale flexible teaching spaces, workshops, a learning resource centre and integrated formal and informal study environments for up to 5,000 students.
As well as providing a home for many of the University’s Engineering undergraduates, the Diamond provides facilities for a range of other departments, promoting collaboration and cross-disciplinary working in an environment fit for 21st century research and practice.
At ￡81 million, it is the largest capital investment in teaching and learning ever undertaken by the University, and the brief called for a building that would support its ambition of becoming the UK’s leading engineering university and doubling the size of the Faculty of Engineering by 2021. With applications up by 25% for the current academic year, the client team believes the Diamond has a key role to play in continuing to attract world class academics and the best students.
The external appearance creates a distinctive presence for the Diamond. The anodised aluminium and glass façade draws inspiration from the detailing of the surrounding historic buildings and in particular the stone tracery that frames the windows of the adjacent church. It also references a ‘cellular automaton’, a discrete model studied in the field of engineering and used by the University to describe how the microstructure of steel changes during processing.
The ethos of the building is to support work across the full spectrum of engineering, from fundamental science to professional practice. Twelve Architects’ design provides a public route at ground floor level and a central atrium that enables people to view the ‘showcase’ engineering activities being undertaken.
Within the naturally ventilated atrium, curved ‘pods’ house spaces for informal personal and group learning. Classrooms, laboratories and offices are arranged to the north and south of the atrium with full height glazing to maximise internal views to and from the teaching spaces which display the best of engineering education and research. Rooflights flood the interior with daylight and custom-designed glazed study tables within the first floor atrium allow the natural light to penetrate the ground and lower ground levels whilst creating acoustic separation.
A series of lecture theatres are located at lower ground floor level with a total capacity of 1500 spaces, with the largest lecture theatre seating 400 people.
Basement Floor Plan/地下室平面图
First Floor Plan/一层平面图
Second Floor Plan/二层平面图
Fourth Floor Plan/四层平面图
South Elevation/南立面图
Diagram/图解
建筑设计: Twelve Architects
地点: 英国，南约克郡，谢菲尔德
面积: 19500.0平方米
项目时间: 2015年
摄影: Jack Hobhouse
承建商: Balfour Beatty
项目和成本管理: Turner & Townsend
结构和土木: Arup
防火: Arup
机电: Arup (stage A - E) & NG Bailey (Stage F)
声学: SRL
规划顾问: Montagu Evans
CDM协调: RLF
BREEAM评估: 3 Planets
立面: Sipral
家具装置和设备: Southerns
PT混凝土结构: CCL & Moortown
钢结构工程: Billington Structures
室内隔断: British Gypsum & ECI Ltd.
室内玻璃: Moda
水暖电工程: NG Bailey
演讲厅: Specialists in Seating
音频: SVN
旋转楼梯: Dean Wilson
项目总值 : ￡81 million
Architects: Twelve Architects
Location: Information Commons, 32 Leavygreave Rd, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S3 7RD, UK
Area: 19500.0 sqm
Project Year: 2015
Photographs: Jack Hobhouse
Contractor: Balfour Beatty
Project & Cost Management: Turner & Townsend
Structural & Civil: Arup
Fire: Arup
M&E: Arup (stage A - E) & NG Bailey (Stage F)
Acoustician: SRL
Planning Consultant: Montagu Evans
CDM Co-ordinator: RLF
BREEAM Assessment: 3 Planets
Façade: Sipral
FF&E: Southerns
PT concrete structure: CCL & Moortown
Structural steelwork: Billington Structures
Internal Partitions: British Gypsum & ECI Ltd.
Internal glazing: Moda
MEP Services: NG Bailey
Lecture Theatres: Specialists in Seating
AV: SVN
Spiral Stair: Dean Wilson
Total Project Value : ￡81 million
