New campus at the University of Wolverhampton

The School of Architecture and Built Environment (SoABE) is the most recent project of the University of Wolverhampton in England, which has invested in a new 'super campus' on the site of the former M&B Springfield brewery. Where 1500 barrels of beer were produced every week and where 900 people used to be employed, the site has had an eventful past: it stood empty for more than a decade, was ravaged by two fires and was the site of a failed residential project. Now, it has been repurposed into a great place for education and research.

The Birmingham-based architectural practice Associated Architects designed the new SoABE as a benchmark for all future buildings on the Springfield site. One of its aims was to connect the past with the present by combining some of the historical structures of the brewery with state-of-the-art learning facilities.

WB Simpson and Sons (Midlands Team) was the contractor for the prestigious project and proposed various product solutions from tile protection experts Schlüter-Systems. These include products that were used to create some of the beautiful visual elements of the project, as well as more subtle solutions designed to ensure the longevity of the building. A decorative staircase leads to the various classrooms on the first floor. A lighting profile from the Schlüter-LIPROTEC product family was used to indirectly illuminate the staircase, thus creating an impressive element in the main foyer of the building.

As the main foyer is a large, open space, a maintenance-free movement joint from the Schlüter-DILEX aluminium series was installed in order to achieve stress-relieving properties. The use of a movement joint is particularly valuable in large commercial premises like this, where high pedestrian traffic is to be expected.

The Schlüter team provided practical training to ensure successful installation of the products and the longevity of the project.

Schlüter-Systems is very proud to have been involved in the remodelling of this beautiful building – and we look forward to working with the talented students and future graduates as they begin their careers in architecture and the construction environment.