KING’S BUILDINGS NUCLEUS

A shared learning, teaching and social hub at the heart of the King’s Buildings Campus

The Nucleus building has transformed the student and staff experience at the King’s Buildings Campus. The building was envisaged as being an environment where students could gather to study in several different ways.

More than 400 student study places have been created in a mix of formal and informal environments to offer students flexibility in how they learn. Seven lecture theatres, named after species of trees, of varying sizes to suit a range of learning requirements. A new specialist teaching laboratory is a key addition for the School of Chemistry.

The design approach was key to supporting students’ undertaking of new, innovative learning styles and aiding them in their journey through University.

The Nucleus lies at the heart of the King’s Buildings Campus, next to the main library. A masterplan was published that responded to several issues regarding the campus’s function and utilisation.

There were not enough places for individual or collective study on the Campus, so Nucleus was created to offer a flexible learning environment. A range of different-sized lecture theatres were created in different configurations to allow flexibility in the teaching style, whether it’s a large-scale lecture to 400 people on Maths or a collaborative lecture theatre that allows group work.

Nucleus was also designed to be the central catering hub at the Campus. A large café and a campus shop are located on the ground floor. The study spaces upstairs have eating stations so that students can prepare their own meals.

The project was completed on-time and within budget. The building was opened in late 2022 for general access and it opened fully for teaching in January 2023.
Students have benefitted from a new modern flexible learning environment where they can not only attend lectures but enjoy comfortable and adaptable surroundings to study on their own.

The University plan to use the space in creative ways and encourage external parties to make uses of the space for events.