Project: Clarice Pears Building, Glasgow
Sector: Higher education
Client: University of Glasgow
Main Contractor: Multiplex
Architects: AtkinsRéalis
Furniture: Fitted furniture and joinery
The Project
The Clarice Pears Building was built to house the University of Glasgow’s School of Health and Wellbeing.
The £50m facility on the University’s Gilmorehill Campus has brought together five academic teams from different locations across Glasgow. This has created a single multi-disciplinary centre for world-class research into improving health and reducing health inequalities.
The building is named after Clarice Pears, the mother of the founders and trustees of the Pears Foundation which donated £5m towards the building’s construction.
The Furniture Solution
This was Deanestor’s first project in the tertiary education sector – providing fitted furniture and fitting out 42 rooms across five storeys.
We manufactured more than 700 items of fitted furniture and joinery which included the main reception desk in the entrance atrium, purpose-designed tables and benching to level 1, and informal booth seating to encourage social interaction and quiet study.
We also provided storage solutions, kitchenettes, and worktops.
Workspaces to Promote a Sense of Wellbeing
The design of the building amplifies the spirit of the Institute and delivers a wellbeing and human-centric focused workspace in the city of Glasgow, which is also sustainable and uses natural strategies for light and ventilation.
The choice of natural materials for the interior included extensive use of wood finishes to help promote a sense of naturalness and calm in the building.
The scheme, uniquely, utilises Deanestor’s experience of delivering fitout contracts for state-of-the-art hospital and laboratory projects and also multi-school campuses that promote a high level of collaborative learning and social integration.
Meeting Booths to Encourage Collaborative Working
A welcoming and publicly accessible space has been created on the ground floor to promote knowledge sharing and public engagement. This is reflected in the informal booth seating provided by Deanestor.
Bespoke, full height meeting booths in a maple wood finish with brightly coloured seating according to the zone, add to the aesthetic impact and were also manufactured by our teams.
The booths were provided in different sizes and configurations and incorporate acoustic treatment with padded upholstery above head height to create a canopy that promotes quiet working in the inclusive study spaces. Each was fitted with power, data and charging facilities.
Other booth-style seating arrangements were designed to encourage collaborative working and study whilst incorporating good acoustic performance with the use of upholstered screens.
A Landmark Building for a Centre of Excellence
The School of Health and Wellbeing at the University of Glasgow will help to address some of the greatest challenges facing society – in the UK and around the world – from tackling health inequality and disease to improving health and wellbeing.
The Clarice Pears Building is a prominent feature on a new central university square and accommodates over 8,000sqm of research, engagement and teaching space. It will be used to host workshops and knowledge exchange events, as well as to develop new multi-disciplinary postgraduate courses.
Awards
Shortlisted for Development of the Year (Public Buildings) category at the Scottish Property Awards.
Images – AtkinsRéalis