Lecture Theatre Block, Brunel University

MATERIALS: a reinforced concrete frame, the large north-facing lecture theatres of box construction, with board marked finishes, set between giant piers. The rest of the building is an exposed concrete frame infilled with precast concrete panels, and large areas of metal framed glazing with contrasting soffit panels.

PLAN: six large lecture theatres, designed to seat 160-200 students, and mechanically ventilated, are entered off a central first-floor concourse and gallery. Smaller teaching rooms and lecture theatres for 60-80 students are set on three main floors either side of two long corridors, laid out with internal raked lecture theatres in centre, and naturally lit and ventilated classrooms to the outside. These are reached from the concourse and the ground-floor entrance hall below it via centrally placed stairs in the south elevation and east and west elevations and spiral stairs, expressed externally in drum stair wells.

EXTERIOR: the north elevation forms an expressive centrepiece to the campus, the raked underside of the lecture theatres projecting outwards, in the manner made popular with Stirling and Gowan's Engineering Building at Leicester University. The upper flight of lecture theatres projects on giant columns and beams above the lower flight, with projection booths extending beyond. External escape stairs separate the three banks of theatres, with set-back glazed lobbies at their tops. At entrance level, which is raised on a stepped podium, the former open foyer beneath the raking projection has been enclosed behind a glass screen wall and entrance, added in 2005, which wraps round the north end of the building. The rest of the building is a symmetrical rectangular block, with a set back clerestorey to the upper floor, the teaching rooms set forward in blocks between glazed stairwells and entrances on either side. The horizontal treatment of the projecting upper floors contrasts with the verticality of the recessed and centrally-placed stair wells.

INTERIOR: the ground-floor north entrance hall has a coffered panelled precast concrete ceiling, the original quarry tiled floors are replaced; although the foyer is now extended to include part of the former external entrance, the original distinction is clearly defined. The upper concourse and gallery is similarly treated although also refurbished in 2005. Centrally-placed stairs on the south elevation, and long side elevations and in projecting drum stair wells have integral moulded steps and skirtings; the spiral stairs are, in places, free-standing and detached from the stair well; steel balustrades, some have heavy timber handrails, some are now supplemented by additional safety rails. The foyers and most lecture theatres have been refurbished. Some of the outward facing rooms retain coffered precast concrete ceilings; some have original door frames with a vertical glazed side panel, flush panel doors and door furniture.