Our £100m competition entry with Diller, Scofidio + Renfro was designed to inspire future generations of students & academics; a seminal piece of university architecture in an historic setting overlooking Lincoln’s Inn Fields. It focuses on the relationship between the LSE and London, between the LSE Quarter and Lincoln’s Inn Fields and between academics and students. A rich mix of programs have been proposed – Athletics, Arts, Classrooms, Offices, and The Paul Marshall Institute – each with their own set of visual, acoustic, olfactory, and spatial requirements.

The proposal sits above a glass walled ground floor to visually and physically connect the more informal LSE Quarter to the south with the more formal Fields to the north. Largely day-lit and naturally ventilated, our design offers occupants control of comfort conditions, uses little energy and is easy to maintain. Strategies respond to the building location, function and form.

The central atrium with its upper branches is a key component, bringing daylight deep into the heart of the building and promoting natural ventilation at lower levels through openings at street level and in the atrium roof. At upper levels, the two large branches of the atrium break through the building envelope to create ‘cut-outs’ on the north and south façades to provide great views, day-lighting and natural cross ventilation.