Osborne to Build New Library for Royal Holloway University
Osborne has been awarded the contract to build Royal Holloway, University of London’s new flagship Library and Student Services Centre. Enabling work is to begin next month, with main work starting in early November 2015.
The total development will cost circa £48m and will be a state of the art facility situated in a prestigious location opposite the College’s iconic Founder’s building, which was opened by Queen Victoria in 1886.
Work will include a copper cladding feature wing, anodised aluminium curtain walling, terracotta cladding and granite cladding to the ground floor. Large expanses of glazing will frame and reflect views of Founder’s, bringing daylight into the heart of the new building and offering panoramic views to those within.
The completed building will provide 1,154 study spaces, 12.6km of book shelving and will achieve a BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Methodology) excellent rating with an internal gross area of 10,592m2. The external landscaped area between the buildings will feature a chestnut shaped external Plaza.
The building will bring together Royal Holloway’s Careers centre, a range of student services, shops and cafes and a dedicated study area for PhD students. In addition, it will provide valuable purpose-built storage for the College’s art, archives and special collections.
John Craig, Managing Director for Construction at Osborne, said: “We are delighted to have been awarded this contract. It is a prestigious and challenging project, and collaboration at all stages will be a key factor in successful delivery.”
Professor Paul Layzell, Principal of Royal Holloway, said: “We look forward to working with Osborne on our new flagship Library and Student Services Centre. This will be a stunning and modern building that has been designed to complement our historic Grade I Listed Founder’s building and meet the 21st century needs of our students and staff. The design is visually exciting and will provide new spaces inside and out that will enrich campus life around the clock.”