Associated Architects- 15 Iconic Projects

Associated Architects was founded by three lecturers at the Birmingham School of Architecture in 1968. These lecturers were Richard Slawson, Malcolm Booth and Walter Thomson. The firm is a leading architectural firm in England and possesses broad work experience spanning 56 years.

The firm came to the limelight with its “Lea Bank Health Centre” which won a RIBA Architecture Award. The firm also designed the CBSO centre, Cobtun House and the rebuilding of the Birmingham Hippodrome. The firm has received multiple awards and boasts of 32 RIBA Awards, 9 BCO Awards, multiple Civic Trusts and AJ Retrofit.

1. Passivhaus Project: George Davies Centre | Associated Architects

Passivhaus (Passive House) is a standard for the reduction of a building’s ecological footprint, i.e., increasing the energy efficiency in buildings.

The George Davies Centre was constructed between 2014 and 2016 by the University of Leicester. This facility was constructed for 42 million pounds and was designed for the School of Medicine. This 12,800 square metre with a capacity of 2,400 people provided medical education and research through its teaching rooms, offices, laboratory facilities and support space. The building is the largest in the United Kingdom to achieve passive house standards.

2. Multi-Comfort Project: Bartholomew Barn

Multi-comfort buildings are built on the idea that buildings are designed to contribute positively to our health, well-being and individual comfort.

Bartholomew Barn was designed for Kings Hawford School by Associated Architects. The project cost a total of 1.3 million pounds and was completed in 2016. The building was designed in partnership with Saint Gobain as a multi-purpose sport and drama hall. The building provides great acoustics, airtightness, high daylighting level and heat recovery.

3. Tower Project: Curzon Wharf

The Curzon Wharf is a residential mixed-use scheme developed by the Woodbourne Group. The towers are 41, 14 and 52 storeys and are valued at 360 million pounds. The project, which is still in planning, has two residential towers with one- and two-bedroom flats, 265 co-living units and communal facilities such as a gym, lounge, laundry, car parking and reception.

4. Entertainment Project: Princess Alexandra Auditorium

Princess Alexandra Auditorium is an 800-seat auditorium designed for Yarn School. The auditorium was designed to be flexible. This flexibility is achieved through the use of acoustic constructions. The auditorium was completed in the year 2018, and it is valued at 20 million pounds.

5. Sport Project: Michael Baker Boat House | Associated Architects

Michael Baker Boat House is designed for the King’s School, Worcester, and it is a RIBA award-winning design. The building was completed in 2012 and valued at 2.5 million pounds.

The building features room for rowing boats, changing rooms, a kitchen, fitness, and reception. The building was designed with the idea of a contemporary boathouse.

6. Awarded Project: David Wilson Library

The David Wilson Library is a multiple award-winning building due to its architectural excellence at the 2008 RIBA EM Awards for Architecture and was also named “Building of the Year” at the Pro-Con Leicester’s hire Awards 2008.

The project included refurbishing, remodelling and extending the University of Leicester’s main campus library. The library spans an area of 115,500 square metres and it contains 1,500 reader places, a student learning centre, careers service, bookshop, café and seminar rooms. This project is valued at 25 million pounds and was completed in 2009.

7. Listed Building Project: Birmingham School of Art

A listed building is a structure that may not be altered, extended or demolished without special permission from the local planning authority. Birmingham School of Art is a grade 1 Listed building, i.e., a building with exceptional interest.

This building was designed for Birmingham City University and completed in 1995 with the project valued at 6.5 million pounds. The building adopted Venetian Gothic Architecture, and it was refurbished due to the disrepair state of the building. The building won the RIBA Award in 1996 and the Civic Trust Award in 1998.

8. Mixed-Use Project: The Mail Box

Mixed-Use is an urban design that blends multiple uses (residential, commercial, cultural, institutional), into a space, these areas can be functionally integrated.

This building was designed for Birmingham Development company and opened in December 2000 and was valued at 38.1 million pounds. The project had a health club, 16 restaurants and bars, retail space of 9,300 square metres, 2 hotels, roof-level flats, office spaces of about 15,900 square metres and 1,00 space car parks.

9. Educational Project: University of Birmingham School

The University of Birmingham School is an educational building designed by Associated Architects. The building is valued at 23 million pounds and was completed in 2015. The building accommodates 1,150 pupils with teaching facilities such as art and music rooms, laboratories, a forum, and ICT infrastructures.

10. Cultural Project: Lapworth Museum of Geology | Associated Architects

The Lapworth Museum of Geology is owned by the University of Birmingham and it is a grade 2 listed building. The redevelopment project of the Lapworth Museum of Geology was done by Associated Architects. The project was valued at 750 thousand pounds and it included office spaces and shops. The museum was redesigned to be fully accessible and upgraded to the Museum Collections storage facilities.

11. Residential Project: Cobtun House | Associated Architects

Cobtun House was completed in 2003 and it won multiple awards such as RIBA Architecture Award and RIBA Sustainability Award. The project was valued at 350 thousand pounds and included living and bedroom spaces which had wheelchair accessibility. The walls were made with mud and straw made from the site, with the “embodied energy” of almost zero.

12. Master Planning Project: Hallsville Quarter Phase 2

Hallsville Quarter Phase 2 was designed for Bouygues, United Kingdom and was completed in 2018. The project was done on 43,492 square metres and it included 349 residential units, a hotel, retail space and a car park. The project is valued at 16 million pounds.

13. Health Project: Centre for Human Brain Health

The Centre for Human Brain Health was designed for the University of Birmingham by the Associate Architects. The project included offices, laboratories, an observation room and stimulation facilities. The project was completed in 2019 for 3 million pounds.

14. Industrial Project: Manufacturing Building, i54 Business Park

The Jaguar Land Rover proposed an engine manufacturing centre which was completed in 2017. The project involved creating an adaptive internal design to adapt to change over time. The design also incorporated the use of natural daylighting and was designed with the process equipment.

15. Animal Shelter Project: Birmingham Dogs House | Associated Architects

The Birmingham Dogs House was completed in 2015 and construction was valued at 6.1 million pounds.

The project included a veterinary suite, office facilities, exercise spaces, meeting rooms and accommodation. The building was designed to reflect animal welfare provisions and show environmental design.

References:

1. CPW. 2022. George Davies Centre — CPW. [online] Available at: https://www.cpwp.com/education/george-davies
2. Willmott Dixon. 2022. George Davies Centre — University of Leicester. [online] Available at: https://www.willmottdixon.co.uk/projects/university-of-leicester-centre-for-medicine
3. Le.ac.uk. 2022. George Davies Centre | About the University of Leicester | University of Leicester. [online] Available at: https://le.ac.uk/about/history/campus-history/george-davis
4. Associated Architects. 2022. Bartholomew Barn – Associated Architects. [online] Available at: <https://www.associated-architects.co.uk/project/bartholomew-barn/> 
5. Faithful Gould. 2022. University of Leicester – The David Wilson Library – Faithful Gould. [online] Available at: https://www.fgould.com/uk-europe/projects/university-of-leicester-the-david-wilson-library/
6. Associated Architects. 2022. David Wilson Library – Associated Architects. [online] Available at: <https://www.associated-architects.co.uk/project/david-wilson-library/> 
7. Associated Architects. 2022. The School of Art – Associated Architects. [online] Available at: <https://www.associated-architects.co.uk/project/the-school-of-art/> 
8. Ajbuildingslibrary.co.uk. 2022. The Mailbox | AJ Buildings Library. [online] Available at: <https://www.ajbuildingslibrary.co.uk/projects/display/id/2467> 
9. Associated Architects. 2022. The University of Birmingham School – Associated Architects. [online] Available at: <https://www.associated-architects.co.uk/project/university-birmingham-school/> 
10. Associated Architects. 2022. The Lapworth Museum of Geology – Associated Architects. [online] Available at: https://www.associated-architects.co.uk/project/lapworth-museum-geology/ 
11. Associated Architects. 2022. Cobtun House – Associated Architects. [online] Available at: <https://www.associated-architects.co.uk/project/cobtun-house/> 
12. Associated Architects. 2022. Hallsville Quarter – Phase 2, London – Associated Architects. [online] Available at: <https://www.associated-architects.co.uk/project/hallsville-quarter-phase-2-london/> 
13. Associated Architects. 2022. Centre for Human Brain Health – Associated Architects. [online] Available at: <https://www.associated-architects.co.uk/project/centre-for-human-brain-health/> 
14. Associated Architects. 2022. Curzon Wharf Plans Revealed – Associated Architects. [online] Available at: <https://www.associated-architects.co.uk/curzon-wharf/> 
15. Associated Architects. 2022. Princess Alexandra Auditorium at Yarm School – Associated Architects. [online] Available at: <https://www.associated-architects.co.uk/project/princess-alexandra-auditorium/> 
16. Associated Architects. 2022. The Michael Baker Boathouse – Associated Architects. [online] Available at: <https://www.associated-architects.co.uk/project/the-michael-baker-boathouse/> 
17. Associated Architects. 2022. Manufacturing Building, i54 Business Park – Associated Architects. [online] Available at: <https://www.associated-architects.co.uk/project/manufacturing-building/> [Accessed 20 May 2022].
18. Associated Architects. 2022. Birmingham Dogs Home – Associated Architects. [online] Available at: <https://www.associated-architects.co.uk/project/birmingham-dogs-home/> 

Image References

1. University of Leicester, Centre for Medicine. 
2. Bartholomew Barn. 
3. David Wilson Library. 
4. Birmingham School of Art. 
5. The Mailbox, Birmingham, UK. © Bs0u10e01
6. The Mailbox, Birmingham © R J Higginson
7. The University of Birmingham School. 
8. Lapworth Museum of Geology. 
9. Cobtun House. 
10. Hallsville Quarter Phase 2. 
11. Centre for Human Brain Health. 
12. Curzon Wharf. © Associated Architects
13. Princess Alexandra Auditorium. 
14. Michael Baker Boat House. 
15. Manufacturing Building, i54 Business Park. 
16. Birmingham Dogs House.