Babbage Building

The Babbage Building is a teaching building at the University of Plymouth.

Babbage Building
Babbage Building on 1 July 2023
General information
TypeEducation
Coordinates50.3754°N 4.1408°W / 50.3754; -4.1408
Completed1979
Renovated2021-2023
Renovation cost£30 million
OwnerUniversity of Plymouth
Renovating team
Architect(s)Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios
Main contractorBAM

Background

The Babbage Building is the main building for the university's School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics and the School of Art, Design and Architecture.[1]

It is named after Charles Babbage, a mathematician, philosopher, inventor and mechanical engineer who originated the concept of a digital programmable computer.[2]

After renovations in 2021–2023, the building contains a number of fabrication and computing laboratories.[3]

History
The original Babbage Building.
The original Babbage Building.

The building was originally constructed in the 1979 as an engineering block for the university.[2]

2021 - 2023 Renovation

In 2019, a design competition was held for a renovation of the Babbage Building.

Permission was granted for the renovations in December 2020,[4] and works began in 2021. The main contractor for the renovations is BAM,[5] and the new building was designed by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios.[6]

In 2021, as part of the university's campus masterplan, the Babbage Building was closed for £30 million worth of renovation works. For the renovations to be able to take place, the university had to temporarily relocate classes and infrastructure to other places across the campus. The university's data center was mostly moved to the cloud as a result of the works.[7]

Babbage building during renovations in 2022.

The building was completely emptied, internal walls taken down, and the outer walls taken off, with only the concrete structure remaining. The renovated building has larger windows, blue cladding, and a rooftop garden. Babbage is also set to be expanded towards the rear and right side of the building.[8]

As part of the works, the nearby Brunel building will be demolished and turned into a park when all of its functions have been moved into the babbage building.[1]

The newly renovated building will contain 108,000 sq ft (10,000 sq m) of teaching and learning space,[9] and will be focused on using low carbon technologies to reduce the university's carbon footprint.[10]

The building is due to reopen in September 2023.[3]

References
  1. Telford, William (6 July 2021). "Work starts to create Plymouth University engineering block". Business Live. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  2. "Building plaques". University of Plymouth. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  3. "Babbage Building: where engineering meets design". University of Plymouth. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  4. Telford, William (18 December 2020). "Immense new landmark gets the go ahead in Plymouth". PlymouthLive. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  5. "Plymouth Uni selects BAM for Babbage building". www.theconstructionindex.co.uk. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  6. "University granted consent for iconic new engineering and design facility - - BAM News". www.bam.co.uk. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  7. Alley, Alex (7 January 2020). "University of Plymouth seeks help to relocate data center". DCD. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
  8. Telford, William (27 May 2022). "Multi-million roof garden building set to transform Plymouth". PlymouthLive. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  9. "BAM to build Plymouth Uni engineering block". Construction Enquirer. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  10. "Ceremony held at University's new home for engineering and design excellence | Koninklijke BAM Groep / Royal BAM Group". www.bam.com. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
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