Plans for a new academic building on the University of Portsmouth's Victoria Site have taken a major stride forward.

Designs have been selected for the new 13-storey building following a well-contested RIBA International Design Competition.

A multi-disciplinary design team led by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios (FCBStudios) won the competition and will deliver the project, which will serve as a northern gateway to the University's city centre campus and will bring together the Faculty of Business and Law with the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.

The building will provide accommodation for research, teaching and learning, housing a 250-seat and 500-seat lecture theatre at the lower levels of the building. Academic workspace is focused around two triple-height spaces – the Park Room and the City Room.

At ground floor level, a 'Market Hall' will be a highly versatile flexible civic space for the University and the city to gather. A roof terrace, together with a destination restaurant situated on the top floor, will provide panoramic views to the Spinnaker Tower and will be open to the public.


Professor Graham Galbraith, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Portsmouth, said: "I am extremely pleased to announce FCBStudios as the winner of the RIBA International Design Competition for our new academic building. We had a large number of high quality submissions and the panel felt that the practice's extensive experience in the higher education sector was very evident. The panel agreed that the building would create a strong identity for the University and a statement for the city.

"The design is an outstanding example of a sustainable and environmentally responsible building. By bringing the two faculties together within one building, it will enable us to become a centre for collaboration, creativity, innovation and above all inspiration and interaction."

The design proposals developed by FCBStudios were selected by an evaluation panel which consisted of members of the University Executive Board - including the Vice-Chancellor, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Chief Operating Officer, Executive Deans for the Faculty of Business and Law and the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences; a representative from the Board of Governors and the Director of Estates and Campus Services.

Andy Theobald, Partner at FCBStudios commented: "We are delighted to have won the RIBA competition for the University of Portsmouth's new Victoria Park academic building.

"Our proposals aim to deliver new academic neighbourhoods combined with inspirational teaching and learning that will enable innovative working, collaboration and creativity across the two faculties. Flexible enough to serve and evolve with the University, we have echoed the brief's ambitions to establish a careful balance of environmental, economic and social sustainability. We are looking forward to working with the University to refine and deliver this project."

(CM/JG)