Glyndwr University Campus

Over 70 designers from all over the world responded to the challenge of designing new student residences to accommodate 500 students on Glyndwr University’s Plax Coch site in Wrexham. The scheme forms part of a broader strategy to accommodate undergraduates and graduates on campus and increase the provision for student services.

A shortlist of four design teams competing in the final stage of the international competition were as follows:

1AX Architects
Glyndwr University Campus design embodies the idea of a vibrant university community. The project aims to transform the static space of the existing courtyard into a system of “piazzas”, melting with the surrounding green areas. A wide linear pedestrian walkway “la strada”, running from north to south, connects all the open courtyards, the entrance halls and passes through the Hub building. The new student’s residence is conceived as an environmentally sustainable building, easy and fun to use, enabling connections among the different public spaces and the common activities. The tower above the new facility is a landmark visible from the Wrexham town centre on the horizon.

The judges thought this was strong scheme by a team who demonstrated a good understanding of the culture of the University. The landscape and fluidity worked well, offering a good quality environment for the students, and some lovely living spaces.

Hamiltons Architects
This scheme comprises a number of separate buildings and spaces, with different functions and spaces which could be built in distinct phases over time.  Five residential blocks are grouped together in two complexes. The link between each block in the complex is provided by an open terrace walkway that links between the kitchen/dining rooms of each suite on alternate floors.  This open area provides a semi private external space for students. The buildings all share a similar experience – each block is defined by a strong rendered end elevation that appears to wrap over the top of the block to the opposite end. 

The judges thought that the interesting façade treatment, the quality of the external environment and arrangement of the flats, all contributed to a smart, clean and crisp response to the site.

Softroom
New buildings splay out from a curving promenade which links them into the heart of the campus. Dramatic mirrored overhangs and slender steel columns create a pattern of covered and open spaces along the route, forming a 21st century interpretation of the traditional university quad. The subtle modulation of the long facades with the upper angled windows for privacy was an attractive quality and worked well with the more robust and ‘greened’ lower stories. The front overhands successfully allow the landscape and routes to flow through the site and denote the entrances.

Overall the simplicity and clear coherent concept made this scheme probably the most modular of all the finalists. The judges concluded this was a striking and appropriate scheme and an excellent response to the brief.

A Studio
There are three elements to the design: low blocks, high blocks and landscape. Both the low blocks and high blocks contain student accommodation, with one of the blocks housing the hub functions. The landscape helps to knit together the existing student accommodation with the new to create a homogenous public realm.  The site layout offers the opportunity to use the orientation of the buildings to generate their appearance based upon the movement of the sun.  The proposal is designed to sit in a complimentary way adjacent to the existing buildings and open spaces on the site. The masterplan uses the existing splayed ends of the building to the east to set out the two outermost lower buildings.  The remaining two low level blocks are then radiated out to provide the view between them.  Further accommodation blocks above allow long views from a higher level. 
 
The judges were drawn to the striking and distinctive appearance of this design – the construction sequence had been very carefully considered. This was a strong and potentially exciting scheme.

The winner: Softroom

Head of Estates at Glyndwr University, Peter Rhodes said “The Jury Panel were unanimous in selecting Softroom Architects as the winner and felt that their scheme offered the best relationship between the existing built environment and realisation of the Estates Masterplan.

“The high quality and diversity of the design concepts submitted from all the competing practices clearly showed enthusiasm and commitment in their exploration of the study bedrooms and endeavours in creating flexible space for socialisation.”

Softroom will now work closely with the University to develop and refine their competition concept. The final decisions regarding phasing and the overall content of the submission and subsequent build will be subject to internal and external discussions.