Dome

Context view looking north on Exhibition Road; Sitting amongst existing 1960s institutional buildings and the Grade II listed Royal School of Mines, the Tanaka Business School houses teaching, research and office facilities. The School, with structural, building services, civil, geotechnical, IT, AV and communication systems consultation by Buro Happold, has been divided into two parts: the teaching element is within a new building and the office areas within three refurbished floors of the existing Royal School of Mines. The entire new-build element, together with a new College entrance, is cloaked in a protective envelope, creating a year round usable atrium space within. The 24m-high glass facade will hang from roof and wind loads will be carried back to the columns via slender T-section struts. The atrium is capped with white translucent ETFE pillows measuring 20 x 4.2 metres. These provide better insulation than glass and will admit generous amounts of filtered daylight into the atrium space. In the event of fire the pillows can be released to act as smoke vents. The base of the atrium space contains a social Forum space, which will be the social hub of the new School, and a cafe. A six-storey high drum containing six circular lecture theatres based on the interactive Harvard Business School model rises from the Forum. The drum is clad with 12mm diameter stainless-steel tubes, acting as an acoustic baffle. Source: Foster + Partners [website]; http://www.fosterandpartners.com/ (accessed 6/15/2009)