15 September 2021
A ceremony was held last week to mark the official opening of the new £24 million flagship Student Halls development at Arts University Bournemouth.
Design Engine Founding Director Richard Jobson and Associate Peter Blundy were delighted to be in attendance as AUB Vice Chancellor Professor Paul Gough officially opened the building at a dedicated launch event.
The accommodation will be home to 300 students and is situated on AUB’s Wallisdown campus. Designed to fit in with the campus’ cutting-edge design aesthetic, the building features eight-bed clusters with communal kitchens and dining areas centred around a landscaped courtyard.
Sustainability has been at the core of the project, with solar panels mounted on the roof of the tiered three-storey development helping the project achieve its BREEAM ‘Very Good’ rating. The structures also encompass secure cycle storage areas to encourage sustainable travel, in line with the university’s Sustainable Transport and Travel Plan.
Tom Marshall, Head of Campus Services at AUB, said:
This project represents the university’s ongoing commitment to provide students with well-suited student accommodation that helps foster a friendly, caring environment for students. The decision to bring students back to our campus is reflective of our maker culture; immersing those studying at AUB within this nurturing environment, and while encouraging easier access to the campus and the full range of specialist equipment located here. We are very pleased with the project, from its inception to handover, and the Halls perfectly complement our existing Campus buildings in scale, function and sustainability.”
Tom Marshall, Head of Campus Services at AUB
We are proud to have collaborated with our client and contractor Morgan Sindall alongside the wider design team to deliver successfully this major project in such challenging times.