This project involved extension and refurbishment of a Grade II listed library, designed by Sir Denys Lasdun in the 1960s.  It is located at the heart of his original design for the architecturally distinguished concrete and glass “brutalist” campus of UEA.  The design of the extension followed sustainable principles using a composite steel and precast concrete structure clad in western red cedar, with projecting solar shading fins echoing the design of the existing building.  An efficient ventilation system and good insulation ensures that the extension requires minimal energy to run.  The completion of the extension was followed by the phased refurbishment of the existing building.  I was part of the interview team that secured the project for SEH in 2002 and was Project Architect from the initial concept design until handover of the final phases in 2006.  The project proved to be the first of a series of interesting projects for me, involving distinguished brutalist university buildings over 20 years, including a welcome return to the UEA campus in the 2020s to work on the refurbishment of Lasdun’s iconic teaching wall.

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