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The Evolution of Education. Lighting to inspire.
Inspiration and ambition has a new home at The University of Bath. The University has welcomed the brand new School of Management. The new building has centralised a number of old offices, scattered across the campus, to create a multi-functional hub for faculty and students. ERCO have worked with the University for over 12 years, successfully delivering quality lighting solutions across multiple campus buildings from the sports centre to student residence. With this long standing relationship, ERCO understands the University’s vision and design requirements and has created first class illumination for students and faculty once again, for the School of Management building.
The building stands as a teaching landmark at the heart of the University of Bath’s Claverton Down Campus. With 7-storeys including 2 basement levels and exquisite architecture, the building is awe-inspiring. Adorning the architecture, breathing life into the space and highlighting features such as the wooden panelled ceiling and spiral staircase is ERCO’s surface mounted Atrium luminaire.
The education sector is fast evolving and adapting. For ERCO, illuminating the education sector aligns with the vision to create inspirational, flexible and future-proof spaces for learning.
ERCO were specified to supply a range of solutions across the School of Management Building, to deliver solutions which not only enhance the architecture to ensure adaptable design and layout but, improve operating costs and environmental credentials.
First-Class Illumination.
Illuminated by ERCO with a considered lighting scheme, this new environment invokes a sense of awe. The open layout reflects that of high end offices in the City of London. The design is corporate and professional, yet, still holds a relaxed atmosphere for students and staff. The aim was to create a space which inspired collaboration between students, academics and professionals alike.
Nestled in the main entrance of the campus, the school was designed by pioneering and award-winning British architects Hopkins. Working closely with Hopkins, AWW and Hoare Lea, ERCO have been part of a truly collaborative team, to bring this concept to life.
The new addition to the campus boasts a student entrepreneurship lab, an Employability Hub for visiting industry partners to help prepare students for the workplace, a café, a Behavioural Research Lab to study real and digital environments and eight lecture theatres, alongside a 250-seat auditorium. With an array of functionalities and facilities, the lighting scheme and luminaires had to complement the need for flexibility and task lighting, creating a space for innovation and collaboration.
The research and teaching facilities are state of the art and will help to further the international reputation of both the School and the University.
Durable, Future-Proof and Sustainable.
ERCO’s Quintessence downlight luminaire works with the natural light entering from the glass atrium, dimming and brightening to flow with the natural circadian rhythm of the day. The lighting approach promotes visual comfort and energy efficiency, without compromising on light quality. Skim Downlights bring a focused dynamic, providing a zonal lighting approach above desks and workspaces for the School of Management. Throughout the space, light is only used where it is needed, achieving an efficient and sustainable working environment. This approach is part of the ERCO Greenology © ethos, using proprietary lens technology to project light precisely onto the target surface. Resulting in no light spill, which is up to 60% more effective than conventional methods of light control which use reflector technology. This results in high lux levels of quality and precise illumination and no wasted energy.
This use of holistic and low-energy design, is demonstrated with the School of Management achieving an as-built EPC A rating. This has provided the University with a low-carbon building that is highly efficient to operate.
The Quint’essence’ of Efficiency and Flexibility.
‘’The School of Management Building, is truly a remarkable and future proof addition to the prestigious University of Bath. ERCOs solutions contribute to maximise the flexibility of the space, whilst providing the highest quality of light, which integrates seamlessly with the architecture. The need for flexibility and high sustainability standards characterises the architecture and the lighting solutions, to create a community hub for students and staff.’’, Michael Wilson, Facilities Manager, University of Bath.
ERCO’s Quintessence, Atrium and Skim luminaries support and enhance the sustainable future-proof architecture and educational technology throughout the space. From the main foyer, through the corridors to the lecture theatres, these solutions uphold the commitment to energy-efficient and reduced-carbon.
‘’ERCO illuminate spaces across the education sector from primary, to tertiary education. It is an immense opportunity to support the evolution of learning to deliver luminaires and integrated technology which further speaks to the vision of the client to create future-proof learning environments for students and staff.’’, Steve Thompson, Sales Director at ERCO Lighting.
Together with Hoare Lea, AWW, Hopkins and the University of Bath, the new School of Management building achieves design and illumination like no other. It truly stands as a landmark not only for the university but for the education sector as a whole, paving a new way to create learning environments.
Project Credits:
Client: University of Bath
Concept Architect: Hopkins
Executive Architect: AWW
MEP: Hoare Lea
Lighting: ERCO Lighting UK
Luminaires:
Quintessence (Surface-Mounted)
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