City & Iislington College Lifelong Learning Centre
About the Project
- Principal designer: Wilkinson Eyre Architects
- Client: City & Islington College
- Principal contractor: Geoffrey Osborne
- Principal architect/engineer: Arup
- Contract value: £8.6 million
Wilkinson Eyre Architects was commissioned to redevelop an urban site in Finsbury Park, north London as this 7400m2 Lifelong Learning Centre, which also includes a new public branch library.
At the core of the scheme was a Victorian school building which was adapted and reused. Additionally, the architects designed new accommodation to wrap around it, creating a strong dynamic between new and old and characterised by an airy feel and seamless use of public art.
The new street frontage features a set-back arcade with a dramatic, glazed slot above the entrance which leads into a central atrium space. Other key elements include high-level clerestory windows, enabling the building to be naturally ventilated.
The learning centre project shows how robust design quality can be achieved within a tight further education budget, how a client, design team and contractor can maintain a relationship through tricky value engineering exercises, and how Victorian stock can be successfully adapted to suit modern uses.
The Judges said:
"This example of part-refurbishment, part-rebuild is an exemplary case of blending old and new. But it is also a perfect example of an education project doing so much to kick-start the urban regeneration of the area in which it sits."