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Imperial College Business School
Foster & Partners | |
| location | London |
| function | university |
| contributed by | davidb |
Previous known as the Tanaka Business School, this building forms the main entrance to the Imperial College campus off Exhibition Road. Externally, the scheme is dominated by a white steel cage, into which curtain walling is inserted. This is intended to help mask a rather drab 1960's building, which didn't reflect the aspirations of the University for its entrance. To the north lies the listed Royal School of Mines, the pilasters of which are echoed in the rhythm of the new structure. The new curtain walling dives into a slot cut in the old fabric. To the south lies the entrance hall, above which are four small floors of new accommodation which are hidden behind glass louvers. Adjacent to the entrance, the floor drops one storey to contain a café. From this well rises a cylinder which houses six stacked lecture theatres, clad with highly reflective curved tubes. A dramatic cantilevered stair sits between this and the School of Mines. The whole structure is roofed with ETFE cushions.
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