Coinciding with DMU's Vice Chancellor, Professor Katie Normington's attendance at COP28 in Dubai, along with academics and researchers to showcase their sustainability oriented work to world leaders, is the 30th anniversary since the opening of DMU's first 'green' building. The award-winning Queens building opened on the 9th December 1993 and in this blog post we enjoy delving through the collections to take a before-and-after look at what spurred its design and creation, a royal opening and its place on campus.
Aerial view of the Queen’s building, c 2004.
The Queen’s building today is home to the Faculty of Computing, Engineering & Media, Information Technology and Media Services, but its inception began in 1989 when Leicester Polytechnic (a predecessor of DMU) made a commitment to urban regeneration and economic stimulation, working in partnership with Leicester City Council.
At this time, several university buildings were considered unfit for purpose. From 1897, until the construction of the James Went building in 1969, originally, all technical subjects were taught in the Hawthorn building, but the labs and workshops for engineering and manufacture had become deficient in mechanical and electrical services.
James Went Building, c 1970. The Hawthorn Building, c 1906.
With the need for a new and modern campus building, and aware of climate change concerns and the importance of energy efficiency, the question was asked: could a new engineering and manufacture building, which would generate enormous quantities of heat, be a 'green', environmentally-friendly construction?
Architectural drawing for the proposed Queen’s Building, c 1990.
According to the administration papers, this gauntlet was eagerly taken up and the design brief also asked for traditional, labour intensive construction to help combat local unemployment, as well as an environmentally sensitive and innovative building.
But where to put it?
View of the Fletcher Tower and building c 1970.
A car park on the land opposite the Fletcher building (now the Vijay Patel building) and next to Kimberlin Library on Mill Lane was the perfect spot. These fabulous construction photographs show the site before and during development.
Construction photographs c 1991.
Four years later, the Queen’s building was opened in December, 1993 by the late Queen Elizabeth II, in whose honour it is named. During her three-hour visit she was greeted by then Chancellor, Dame Anne Mueller and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Kenneth Barker before having a tour of the building.
The Queen arrives to a throng of excited locals, staff and students and is given a tour before the official opening ceremony.
As well as unveiling the opening plaque and signing the visitor’s book, the Queen was shown staff and student research projects, such as the AMSET Centre which was working on alternative energy sources, holography, animation, 3D television, microengineering and more.
Queen Elizabeth II meets Professor Malcolm McCormick. The Robotics lab.
Preparing stalls for the opening. Queen Elizabeth II with Professor Barker, architect Alan Short and a model of the building.
From the outset, architects Peak Short aimed to create a building that reduced energy consumption to the minimum while considering its occupants’ comfort as a priority. Staff of the School of Engineering and Manufacture were closely involved in the design process along with expertise from the Universities of Bristol and Cambridge: ventilation is achieved by a natural stack effect unaided by fans or air conditioning; lighting is mostly natural; sound is baffled by the thick brickwork and climate controls are automatically regulated.
DMU and Leicester publication covering the opening, 1993. Student at work in the Queen’s Building, 1994.
During planning and construction, initial focus was entirely on functional and technological considerations, and the remarkable aesthetic of its appearance, inside and out, a by-product of its innovative design. The view from the Fletcher/Patel Tower would never be the same again!
A ‘then and now’ photo merger of two photographs: students painting in the Fletcher building, c 1970 with the view of Queen’s from the Patel Tower, c 2018.
Lauded at the time as being the first in a new generation of low energy, naturally ventilated buildings, it won several awards, including RIBA Education Building of the Year 1995; Quality in Brickwork Award 1994; Civic Trust Commendation 1995 and the Independent newspaper 'Green Building of the Year' 1995.
30 years on, it could now find itself eligible for grade listed status. Instantly recognisable, it has truly become a Leicester landmark, representing DMU and its championing of green sustainability goals.
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