Lancaster Institute of Contemporary Arts England

GREEN LIGHT FOR SUSTAINABLE ARTS CENTRE IN LANCASTER 15 Jul 2009 Sheppard Robson has been granted planning permission for the Lancaster Institute of Contemporary Arts (LICA) - a highly sustainable timber panel structural building that will provide cutting edge performance space. Located on Lancaster University's Parkland Campus, the 300m² LICA will provide a northern anchor and gateway for the campus' new student focused public space. Three double height interlinked social spaces form the central block of accommodation and an upper floor will house open plan offices. The frame is wrapped in translucent polycarbonate rainscreen cladding, forming an innovative 'timber light-box' - although the cladding remains consistent around the building, the adaptable internal walls filter varying degrees of light through the skin. Sustainability was paramount to LICA, home to Imagination@Lancaster - a major research group developing sustainable design solutions for the 21st century. Sheppard Robson responded by designing a building with the potential to surpass the current "BREEAM Excellent rating" and become the UK's first education project to achieve the new "BREEAM Outstanding" target. James Jones, Project Architect, confirms Sheppard Robson's intentions to showcase a building with the latest green credentials now planning has been secured: "Securing planning consent is great news for Sheppard Robson; now we have the chance to raise the standard of green design in the education sector" "Once a timber panel structural solution was agreed, the opportunity to design a highly sustainable building progressed, far exceeding statutory requirements for insulation; providing natural ventilation of workspaces; reduced energy consumption and the specification of 'Class A' materials with low environmental impact." The building is located within a woodland setting and the building will explore the relationship between artefact and nature, showcasing the institute's artistic practice. A proposal is also being developed to spread "Imagination Bubbles" - small portable rooms for collaborative experimentation - out of the building to populate public spaces and nestle under the canopy of the adjacent wood. The building is designed to encourage visitors into LICA and to allow LICA a base from which to flow out across the campus, the country and internationally. It will be the basis for redevelopment of the entire northern 'arts' sector of the campus and a place to encourage collaboration across disciplines both within the institute and with those outside. Lancaster Institute of Contemporary Arts images / information from Sheppard Robson