This University of Reading project at the Whiteknights campus comprised the refurbishment of the former TSBE and RISIS areas of the JJ Thomson Building, to form the new student support hub area and associated offices.
The scheme was constructed over three phases; phase one – enabling works on the second floor in order to relocate the existing teams, phase two – enabling works on the third floor in order to relocate the existing teams and phase three – the formation of the new student support hub on the ground floor.
The works (also known as ‘Space Moves’ projects) were part of a major renovation scheme which took place throughout a number of the University of Reading buildings on both the Whiteknights and London Road campuses, as part of a drive to update and modernise the buildings, making the space more efficient and to create new support hubs in various locations throughout the University.
This took place within a live educational campus environment, and involved a sensitive strip out of the existing rooms and extensive fit out with complicated services integration whilst in a live building.
All works were delivered in a fully operational building and within busy residential neighbourhood. Working on a very restrictive site, with the entrance adjacent to the main school gates and with park access to the front of site, we took additional precautions to traffic management and all deliveries were dealt with consideration to the local community.
This project incorporates sustainability elements and features a green roof, which replaces the planted areas covered by the footprint of the building. We worked with the parks department to ensure that all trees that had to be felled during the works, were chopped into logs and stacked in the adjacent woods to form bug houses. Seven new trees were planted to replace those removed.
