Pick Everard expand futuristic college building

Pick Everard has been appointed to expand a futuristic college building in Leicestershire.

Architectural practice Pick Everard has been appointed to expand a futuristic college building in Leicestershire, which it originally designed, adding 6,000 square metres of accommodation in the £11million second wave of the project.

Pick Everard picked up the prestigious Leicestershire and Rutland Society of Architects 2006 Design Award for the first phase £15.24 million statement building, designed for Stephenson College which embraces modern thinking on teaching environments.

Phase 2 will add extra learning clusters, a new restaurant, classrooms, a staff room and workshop space for heavy motor vehicle (HMV), construction, brickwork and plumbing courses.

Planning approval is expected around June 2006 and the aim is for Phase 2 to be completed for the start of the autumn term in 2007.

Expansion means that courses currently running elsewhere can be relocated so that all the students can enjoy the benefits of the dramatic new campus.

Pick Everard designer Mike Pole said: "The visual impact of the new building is bold and imaginative and we relish the prospect of continuing to create a stimulating and innovative learning environment within a futuristic building specifically designed for its purpose".

The college runs a range of academic, vocational and professional courses, serving more than 12,000 students a year and the state-of-the-art building is located on the corner of Stephenson Way and Thornborough Road, on the edge of Coalville in Leicestershire.

Pick Everard has many years experience of designing buildings for the education sector and is currently working on a raft of projects including a new academy in Leicester, a PFI project for five new Derby schools, a framework contract with Norfolk County Council in primary and secondary sectors, on master planning at West Suffolk Further Education College and at Keele, Nottingham and Warwick universities and is involved in the Government's 'Building Schools for the Future' programme.

In this latest project the architectural and engineering partnership is lead consultant in the development team.

Stephenson College principal Dr David Rathe said: "We are delighted to be working with Pick Everard again and to be moving ahead with further expansion plans - a true testament to the success of phase one.

This latest project will enable us to expand our education and learning services, further enhancing both individual learning opportunities and meeting the skills needs of the business community".

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