CASE STUDY | UCL STUDENT CENTRE Void 1 4 5 6 2 Void 7 Bridge 3 8 Sketch of floor plan 1 Quiet study room 2 Informal social study space open to atrium 3 Drop-in computer stations 4 Cosy alcoves 5 Exposed brickwork to core walls 6T imber cabins - Open/glazed ends - Meeting rooms - Group work - Resource area 7 Long room - Quiet individual study space - Simple table arrangement 8 Views out to Gordon Square There is a variety of space that can be used for socially distanced working as the UCL Student Centre emerges from lockdown BS 12464 Lighting of indoor workplaces, the lighting was further developed around the task areas and their immediate surroundings. The lighting was coordinated with the architecture and integrated in the ceiling elements where possible, allowing the clean concrete ceilings to be visible and clutter-free. Lighting is concentrated on vertical surfaces to balance the daylight ingress. Photocells on the roof are linked to the lighting-control system to make use of available natural light. Automatic scene setting scrolls through several scenarios throughout the day and into the evening, so that the building has a dynamic lit effect, appropriate for the time of day and season. Study spaces are lit to a higher level, with furniture-integrated task lighting providing the facility to increase levels further when necessary, allowing the background to comfortably drop to a lower level. Livelier social spaces and flexible seating areas were lit to a higher level, while smaller group rooms enjoy decorative lighting from pendants, and feature, wall-mounted luminaires provide a cosy atmosphere. The two basements have no access to natural light, so lighting levels are slightly higher here, with a pleasant warm-white colour temperature. Plenty of illumination at vertical eye level ensures there are no gloomy corners, while uplighting maximises the high ceilings where possible. The Japanese Garden mirrors its twin, Wilkins Terrace, by integrating lighting in the steps and planters. Small spotlights highlight the vegetation, while discreet uplighters to the columns create a warm glow under the colonnade a detail also reflected on the fourth-floor terrace. There is a multitude of lit environments available for the students, all united as a single collective design. The colour temperature for the luminaires was chosen to complement the architectural finishes, and decorative luminaires break up the spaces and introduce colour. Special areas such as the quiet contemplation rooms are equipped with scene setting, allowing a high degree of flexibility to create a beautiful sensory lit experience within. Sustainability workshops Early sustainability workshops with the client and the design team guided the project towards a long-life, loose-fit building, able to respond to changing trends in education. Environmental strategies had to be adaptable and finishes are simple. Careful consideration was given to the materiality of the fit-out, demonstrated by the timber-slat details that are prevalent across the building, providing the acoustic absorption to support the high density of occupation and the multifunctional use. This has been so successful that the entrance area has hosted a huge range of events without impacting on the 1,000 study spaces across the rest of the building. The project also houses a Student Enquiries Centre, caf and space for exhibitions, as well as a roof terrace overlooking the dome of UCLs Grade I-listed Wilkins Building. Once the building fully emerges from lockdown, it will again be the focal point for student events. CJ About the author JAMES HEPBURN is principal building services engineer London at BDP 40 July 2020 www.cibsejournal.com CIBSE July20 pp38-40 UCL student centre1.indd 40 19/06/2020 19:36