Bournemouth University
Bournemouth Gateway Building
The Atkins-designed new landmark Bournemouth Gateway Building will be the new home of the University’s Faculty of Health and Social Sciences. It incorporates both formal teaching spaces, practical skills and general teaching, informal or social learning areas as well as a small research facility and shared learning resource centre. The building has been designed especially to enhance staff and student wellbeing, health and performance through the use of Atkins’ innovative digital design tool.
The Bournemouth Gateway Building is part of a portfolio of projects Atkins is working on for Bournemouth University, all designed to improve staff and student experience. These wellbeing focused development projects respond to the university’s vision of providing environments that inspire collaborative learning, research and enterprise. It also aligns with a city-wide vision to foster health and wellbeing through all new developments.
Natural light was highlighted as a wellbeing factor in their work environment, but access to an external view was considered more important. The fan shaped building form with stepped roof profile responded directly to this, allowing a greater wall to floor ratio, with access to an increased amount of glazing on each floor.
“We implemented our Human-Centred Design service to gain an in-depth understanding of user priorities for a range of design attributes that impact on their health and wellbeing. Every aspect of the design, from its overall form down to the specification of materials will support the creation of a healthy environment that enables the occupants to work and study more effectively.”
~ Caroline Paradise – Head Of Design Research, Atkins
“Using Atkins’ Human-Centred Design solution has taken us away from the basic dialogue we often have with staff around closed and open spaces. Instead we’re having a more mature dialogue around mixed use, flexible spaces for different purposes. Because of this I think we’ll end up with a buildings that provides flexible, more holistic environments for the different types of work that people do at different times of the day. Atkins’ Human-Centred Design solution has helped our staff realise they work in different ways and need different environments for each of these to be productive.”
~ Tim Mclntyre-Bhatty – Deputy vice Chancellor, Bournemouth university
Creating a shared identity, as well as an environment that supports a sense of community, was something that came across strongly during stakeholder engagement sessions. Ensuring the right balance between visual connection and privacy throughout the building was a key design driver. Here you can see how the central atrium space and adjacent circulation routes allow a visual link for building users, connecting them to the activity within the building.
Having access to and views of green space is proven to improve mood, self-esteem and reduce stress. With limited ground area for green space our designers incorporated a series of roof terraces into the Poole Gateway building and created strong visual connections to outdoor green space through a glass façade.
Find out more about University Of GlasgowContact Information
Atkins Human-Centred Design
Atkins | Nova North, 11 Bressenden Place, Westminster, London SW1E 5BY
+44 (0)20 121 2000 | info.HCD@atkinsglobal.com
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