North Light Studios

We are working with Arts University Bournemouth (AUB) to replace the existing North Light Studios building with a new 1,800sqm fine arts building. The existing building is approaching the end of its lifespan having been constructed in 2000 using a rapid system build form.

The project forms part of the University’s 5-year masterplan to expand onto a plot south of the campus which will accommodate an increase in student numbers. AUB are committed to carbon neutrality across the campus and this project aims to be net-zero in both embodied and operational energy.

The new North Light Studios building will offer a series of studio spaces for fine art alongside workshops for sculpture and traditional printing, split over two stories. Other facilities include flexible open studio space, ancillary offices for staff and toilets.

The project has been designed to be delivered as a factory-built modular scheme to both minimise disruption to the live campus and deliver improved quality and possible efficiency savings. Parametric design has been used to optimise daylighting, heat loss and solar gain. The compact form factor, natural daylighting, passive ventilation, renewable energy, air tightness and insulation are all a consequence of extensive testing and modelling. The building’s structure and materials have been selected on the basis of their low embodied carbon content and the ability to re-use or re-cycle.