British Council for Offices talk and tour

Nicholas Hare Architects' Paul Baxter gave a talk and a tour of the James Dyson Building at the University of Cambridge on 28 February to members of the British Council for Offices. The new building houses postgraduate researchers and write-up space to support the Department of Engineering in undertaking world-leading research.

Construction of the building included installation of fibre-optic sensors in the foundation piles, columns and floor sections; providing live data about temperatures and strain on the building structure.

The Department had high aspirations for a low-energy; low carbon building that would reflect the innovative work which goes on within the department, whilst also radically reducing energy and life-cycle costs. The largely open-plan research space is naturally ventilated using ventilation 'chimneys'.

Paul's talk reviewed the brief, the design and construction of building and David Green from the Department of Engineering shared the experience of the occupiers.