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Work to start on Dundee College of Life Sciences

Work to start on Dundee College of Life Sciences

June 11 2012

The University of Dundee has confirmed that work to construct a new life sciences building will commence by the end of the month following the award of a £12.5m construction contract.

Designed by BMJ Architects the centre will comprise four storeys of laboratory accommodation and office space and will include an enclosed street connecting to the existing Welcome Trust Building.

This space will double as a meeting and collaboration area and will host exhibitions and digital media installations to promote collaboration between arts and science.

Externally a series of anodised aluminium cladding panels represent the four key strands of life science research; molecular, organellar, cellular and tissue, via perforated images.

Prof. Ferguson said, ‘It’s great to have acknowledgement from BREEAM that the new building meets the international standard of excellence in terms of environmental design and sustainability. I’m delighted that our fundraising efforts over the past two years have finally come to fruition and that we will soon be starting work on the new building, which will provide research benefits for years to come.”

Construction work is scheduled to complete by 2013.

10 Comments

#1 Posted by All Hail BMJ on 11 Jun 2012 at 12:54 PM

That's more like it, eat yer heart our Sheppard Robson

#2 Posted by Poor on 11 Jun 2012 at 13:44 PM

This looks shocking.

#3 Posted by hugger-mugger on 11 Jun 2012 at 14:18 PM

What do you mean 'shocking'? - it's seriously not that good. How can a building design so obviously of the mid-70-'s meet BREEAM's current 'international standard of excellence in terms of environmental design and sustainability'? It does meet one international standard though - this design could be absolutely anywhere. One from BMJ's previously-unrealised projects drawer perhaps?

#4 Posted by Dan on 11 Jun 2012 at 14:32 PM

True, it looks like the b*stard child of the GU mathmatics building and the scottish crime campus

#5 Posted by Colin on 11 Jun 2012 at 21:51 PM

Innovative use of 5mm gauge anodised aluminium panels with multi sized perforated artwork translation / Well done BMJ

#6 Posted by eles on 12 Jun 2012 at 22:27 PM

Like the layered articulation of the three elements slipping past the existing building and the cladding treatment which adds an element of visual complexity to the main elevation. Looks well considered.

#7 Posted by karen on 13 Jun 2012 at 08:28 AM

The glazed facade and vertical elements are an interesting but visually simple and artistic articulation of the envelope to accomodate complexities that the technicalities in sustainable design present.