by WilkinsonEyre

Mathematics Building, Queen Mary, University of London

This project continues WilkinsonEyre’s relationship with Queen Mary, University of London, following our work on the design of the Arts Two Building. The scheme creates a new foyer and social/study space for the School of Mathematical Sciences, establishing a strongly identifiable entrance to the campus on the Mile End Road in east London. It also includes the refurbishment of a lecture theatre to the highest environmental and acoustic standards.

The existing mathematics building, constructed in 1967, is a prominent landmark on the Mile End Road, marking the western end of the campus. Along this frontage there are many different buildings of disparate styles, and the new extension is a distinctive low level form, introducing coherence at street level and encouraging pedestrian movement into the campus.

The extension is a single storey structure clad with glass rainscreen panels, the form of which has been generated by a Penrose tiling pattern – a narrative response to the academic school, where Sir Roger Penrose is a visiting professor. As well as informing the geometry of the form, a smaller scale subset of Penrose tiling is applied to each glass panel as a graphic pattern.

DetailsLocation: London, UK Client: Queen Mary, University of London Architect: WilkinsonEyre Structural Engineer: Conisbee Environmental Engineer: Troup Bywaters and Anders Value: £1.5m Date: Completed 2011