The design of the New Students’ Centre (NSC), the new building for the LSESU, continues apace, with the layouts for the building having been agreed by the Project Board.
The £35m project, which will be built in place of the existing St. Phillips (X, Y and Z) buildings, aims to be completed in December 2012. Following the appointment of Irish architects O’Donnell and Tuomey in July 2009, work has continued on producing a design of the basic layout of the building and its spaces.
The building will house the Students’ Union and all of its current facilities, including a venue, bar, café, gym, Advice and Counselling Centre, and offices. It will also feature new Students’ Union spaces, such as a Media Centre for The Beaver, Pulse Radio, LooseTV and the Clare Market Review, and an expanded Activities Centre for societies. The NSC will also provide a new dedicated learning café, Dance Studio, and top floor venue/café area.
In addition to the Students’ Union, the NSC will feature the LSE Careers Service, Accommodation Office and new Multifaith Centre, encompassing the Chaplaincy, Muslim Prayer Rooms and new interfaith spaces. There will also be a roof garden on the top floor, adjoining the venue/café area.
LSESU General Secretary Aled Dilwyn Fisher and the student representative on the Project Board, commented: “The new building represents a massive improvement in the quality and quantity of space for the Students’ Union, its societies and sports clubs, and all of its services. It will be a truly world-class student centre fit for the energy, activity and ambitions of LSE’s students. By bringing together student-focused services in the School, the building will hopefully become a key central point for students at LSE.”
Following agreement of the layouts just before Christmas by the Project Board, the building process now turns to detailed work on the design of each specific area of the building. Subject to planning consent, it is envisaged that demolition of the current St. Phillips buildings will commence in early 2011.