A project for new student accommodation block for 500 students and a HUB building for an existing and established campus site at Glyndwr University, Wrexham, designed to achieve BREEAM excellent rating.

The proposal takes the form of a simple urban block of 5+ storeys, whereby prefabricated student accommodation pods are located onto an in-situ concrete plinth and core construction.

The accommodation wraps to form a rectangular ‘Doughnut' in plan, with a large enclosed and protected over sized courtyard space acting as one of several connected public amenity spaces within the campus. At the centre of this new space is a shallow reflecting pool, with the added benefits of the introduction of a mini eco system with plants, trees and wildlife. The HUB is pulled into this block, and acts as the ‘street' face, revealing activity and life within. Being transparent and double height in volume, it allows for views through to the courtyard bringing the benefits of this high quality landscape back to the street.

The student accommodation is arranged in linear strips, interspersed with kitchen units and winter gardens creating a vertical disbursement of public/ private amenity and in turn creating a highly articulate and active back drop for the courtyard space.

In terms of the building's relationship to the wider masterplan, it has been orientated to follow the emerging grid pattern of proposed adjacent blocks thus appearing integrated into a wider concept rather than being envisaged as a free standing object building. Instead the quality is within the form, site composition and relationship to the adjoining buildings and wider landscape; a campus for the 21st Century.