O’DONNELL & TUOMEY WINS LEEDS UNIVERSITY CONTEST
O’Donnell & Tuomey has been selected to design a new student hub at the University of Leeds after a RIBA-run competition. The practice beat a strong line-up of finalists including Cullinan Studio, Reiach & Hall, Evans Vettori and Nicholas Hare Architects. The new building on the university’s western campus will include teaching and learning spaces as well as support for student enterprise, innovation and careers advice.
Sheila O’Donnell and John Tuomey issued a statement saying: “We are delighted to find ourselves selected for this significant new building, a new student hub for Leeds University. Our concept is to make an open concourse for collaborative learning connected to teaching spaces in brick houses. A multi-level forum is punctuated by planted courtyards, forest gardens that create a special identity for the social spaces.
“Our design has been developed from the ground up and from the inside out. The red-brick building fits in to its inherited landscape, but as befits a campus landmark building, it fits in by standing out.”
Denise Maguire
Editor of Plan Magazine
Email: denise@mcdmedia.ie