Hulley & Kirkwood were delighted to be an integral part of the Glasgow Learning Quarter consortium professional team that have now delivered the City of Glasgow College new Riverside Campus.

The Riverside Campus comprises the main educational accommodation for the Faculties of Nautical Studies and Engineering / Energy. The campus also includes a new Halls of Residence. The main educational facilities are split between two primary buildings, the Teaching Tower and Workshop Block.

The Teaching Tower, comprising some 12,000m² GIFA is arranged over a ground floor, mezzanine and seven suspended floors, all arranged around a large feature atrium. The Workshop Block is simpler, constructed over a ground and first floor and comprising some 3,700m² GIFA.

The accommodation requirements attracted some very specific and unique spaces, which in turn attracted a considered and specific MEP approach. Two key examples being a 360° simulator (ships bridge) and a working ship's engine room.

The Riverside Campus shows an integrated approach to architectural and services design to realise a landmark learning resource. The M&E design was part of this approach, exceeding the college’s requirement for state-of-the-art teaching accommodation and halls of residence.

The college wanted a group of buildings that could be developed and modified to meet its changing educational requirements while adopting a sustainable approach. In response we developed a ‘plug and play’ solution to services distribution alongside the formation of the architectural floor plans. We included vertical distribution routes at key locations to minimise horizontal distribution on floorplates. This allows systems to be altered with minimal disruption to meet new space requirements, and allows inbuilt zoning of services. To meet the key project policy of sustainability, the design team developed services and design features that reduced energy demand and reliance on main utility services.

To minimise energy demand, we developed passive design measures, such as improved air tightness, significantly low building fabric u-values, and use of the atriums to support the ventilation philosophy. Reliance on utilities was further reduced by using on-site combined heat and power (CHP), photovoltaic panels for onsite electricity generation, solar panels for hot water production, and rainwater harvesting for toilet flushing.

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