Portland Square is a bold intervention in the urban landscape of the University and the city of Plymouth. It creates a series of open spaces, each with its own identity, and dramatically improves the previous antisocial quality of the landscape.

We were appointed following competitive interview to develop a scheme which would form a key phase in the development of the University and create a new landmark at one of the main entrances to the campus.

Portland Square provides new science and technology facilities, including the Peninsula Medical School. The brief was to create a building that was inherently flexible in order to accommodate the increasing need for adaptability within Higher Education buildings.

Our design solution was to create a plinth of teaching accommodation surmounted by spaces for academic facilities and research groups.

The internal atria bring natural lighting and ventilation into the work spaces and provide a communal identity to each of the three building blocks. The strategy was based on the University’s idea that sharing space leads to sharing of ideas. The University had a strong environmental brief which led the design team to focus on minimising the requirements for air conditioning and mechanical ventilation, reducing heating requirements and maximising the use of natural light.