Birkbeck, University of London: Another Award Win For Birkbeck’s Architecture

373 Euston Road, Birkbeck’s state of the art teaching facility which opened and welcomed students in Autumn 2021, has won a 2022 Constructing Excellence SECBE Award in the Value category.

The project’s success and innovation were commended for delivering value on many levels for the client and end-user, and for providing the blueprint by which Birkbeck will roll-out future teaching spaces.

The building also received praise for ‘delivering Birkbeck’s best teaching space to date, particularly with regard to social informal learning spaces which were found to have a profound effect on the user or student experience, establishing connectivity and a sense of belonging.’

Van Nguyen, Deputy Director of Estates Development, said, “We are so pleased to have the project recognised in this way. Our vision has always centred on contributing to Birkbeck’s long-standing ambition of every student being taught on Birkbeck premises to improve the learning and education experience of all our students. So, to be recognised by SECBE, and especially the success for us from an overall shortlisting of 82 finalists, is a tremendous achievement and really validates the work that we do.”

Award judges for the Value category looked for initiatives and projects which focused on the value of facilities in use and the outcomes for owners and users. Considering the judge’s criteria for winners on how best they demonstrate how whole life cost and value have been considered from the outset, Birkbeck successfully demonstrated the project’s value on a number of levels, including a social and sustainability perspective- delivering the Birkbeck vision and adding value to Birkbeck as an accessible university for working Londoners. The building has a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ sustainability rating involving the reusing and repurposing of the formerly redundant 1920s building which utilises low embodied carbon to reduce environmental impact.

Formerly known as Cambridge House, 373 Euston Road has previously won an award in the Learner category of the New London Architecture (NLA) Awards and was also shortlisted for the Structural Awards 2022.