HawkinsBrown and Schmidt Hammer Lassen submit £80m University of Bristol library plans

Schmidt Hammer Lassen and HawkinsBrown have submitted plans for a new £80 million library at the University of BristolThe design team, which also includes engineer BuroHappold, propose a modern, stepped design built in natural stone to fit in with the historic listed buildings nearby.The university says the flagship building, on the corner of Elton Road and Woodland Road, will transform the heart of its Clifton campus and improve external public spaces with a new civic square and better road layouts.The building will house 2,000 study seats, approximately 420,000 books, 70,000 journals and study spaces. There will be exhibition galleries open to the public, an events space, a programme of activities, new public art and a café, all of which will be open to the whole community.Floor-to-ceiling windows and an atrium at the heart of the space are intended to maximise natural daylight and allow views to the study spaces, promoting social connectivity. Suspended ceilings have been omitted to expose the structure and make use of the concrete frame’s thermal mass.The new building will replace The Hawthorns -– a former hotel which currently houses some student accommodation, catering facilities and various offices.Following a public consultation last October, a number of changes have been made to the building and road layout ahead of the planning application being submitted. The scale of the building above ground has been reduced by adding a basement level and the entrance has been redesigned.The scheme proposes new road layouts to improve traffic flow and public transport, enhance the pedestrian and cycling routes and make the whole area safer and accessible for everyone.