Conran & Partners have received full plans and listed building planning approvals for their conversion and extension of College Hall at Leicester University. Sir Leslie Martin and Trevor Dannatt’s 1950’s Grade II listed building will be converted from redundant halls of residence to residential units.
The site is located in a conservation area of Leicester with spectacular views across the arboretum beyond. The conversion and extension of the listed buildings, together with the addition of two new-build terraces of town houses and an apartment block, will provide 116 new private and affordable homes for the city.
The proposals will save this important set of buildings and secure their long term viability. They incorporate a number of interventions that aim to preserve the key architectural ideas, materials and spatial planning on the site. The communal spaces, existing buildings and facades will be preserved with new rooftop extensions replacing the existing metal ‘tops’ to some of the existing buildings with metal clad penthouses to reflect the palette of materials available to the designers of the day, whilst remaining timeless and contemporary. The penthouses will also serve to significantly increase the insulation of the existing buildings at roof level and a more sustainable biomass system is proposed in the former boiler rooms.
The site is located in a conservation area of Leicester with spectacular views across the arboretum beyond. The conversion and extension of the listed buildings, together with the addition of two new-build terraces of town houses and an apartment block, will provide 116 new private and affordable homes for the city.
The proposals will save this important set of buildings and secure their long term viability. They incorporate a number of interventions that aim to preserve the key architectural ideas, materials and spatial planning on the site. The communal spaces, existing buildings and facades will be preserved with new rooftop extensions replacing the existing metal ‘tops’ to some of the existing buildings with metal clad penthouses to reflect the palette of materials available to the designers of the day, whilst remaining timeless and contemporary. The penthouses will also serve to significantly increase the insulation of the existing buildings at roof level and a more sustainable biomass system is proposed in the former boiler rooms.
