Lancs college building wins top green standard

THE Manchester office of architectural practice Sheppard Robson has completed the UK’s first BREEAM Outstanding project for the higher education sector – the new £10m Lancaster Institute for Contemporary Arts (LICA).

LICA is a new facility containing dance, music, film and theatre studios as well as more traditional classrooms.

Sheppard Robson said its design was developed from an exploration of the interplay between nature and the manmade, inspired by the building’s woodland setting.

James Jones, associate at Sheppard Robson, said: “From the outset the LICA project was an exercise in the architectural effects of material, natural light and sustainability as much as the creation of efficient, functional space. It was great to work with a client as fascinated with these questions as we are.

“The University’s bold decision to embrace cross-laminated timber construction has been duly rewarded with the achievement of this first higher education BREEAM Outstanding rating.”

The new LICA building is part of a £350m investment in its campus by Lancaster University.