University of Leicester – The David Wilson Library

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A £32 million project to refurbish, remodel and extend a 15,500 m² existing University library.

Included the refurbishment of a Grade II listed building, the total refurbishment of the existing library, including façade replacement, and a new-build extension almost doubling the size of the library.

The approach

  • Faithful+Gould was appointed as principal consultant; a single point of contact for the University. We formed a team of all the necessary technical consultants to support this role and provided project management and commercial services in-house.
  • Full collaboration with the University’s Project Implementation Team comprising faculty representatives, the estates department and Pro Vice-Chancellor in order to understand the University’s vision.
  • Two–stage procurement approach brought the contractor into the team at an early stage of development, allowing involvement in the design process of key work packages.

The challenge

  • To ensure that the library was fully accessible by students and staff throughout the course of the building contract; this included minimising disruption created by forming large atria through the existing structures, and relocating almost 40 kilometres of books!
  • To build a state-of-the-art library with a BREEAM Excellent rating at a reasonable cost.

Outcome

  • A bright, airy, low energy, state-of-the-art library that remained in use throughout the construction phase, now accommodating twice the daily student usage it did prior to commencement.
  • A BREEAM Excellent rating and, based upon early assessment, an A-rated Energy Performance Certificate.
  • The library was honoured for its architectural excellence in the 2008 Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) East Midlands Awards for Architecture.
  • The library was named 'Building of the Year' at the ProCon Leicestershire Awards 2008.
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