We are going to bring the Students' Union and University House together to form one big Students' Union building. Many of your favourite venues are going to be refurbished and expanded, to make the UK's best Students' Union even better.
There will be new meeting rooms, cafes and shops as well as facilities for staff and visitors. The new all-in-one building will be easier to get around and better for the environment.
The timeline
Work is scheduled to begin on 23 July 2012, and finish in September 2013. The work has been carefully planned in phases, to minimise disruption.
Why it's happening
It consolidates the Students' Union plan to create a landmark building, with better spaces for societies and other groups, which began in 2010 with the construction of the new main entrance. It makes good on the University's promise to constantly reinvest in better services and facilities for you, like the IC.
Who's involved
The project was developed in consultation with Student Officers and Students' Union staff. Their input has helped to shape the project. The work itself will be managed by Estates and Facilities Management. The group overseeing the project is made up of University and Students' Union staff and officers.
The project is funded with over £20m of the University's money, and some assistance from the Higher Education Funding Council of England (HEFCE).
A greener future
University House is not as energy efficient as it should be and it needs major refurbishment. If we don't do something about this now, it won't be fit for purpose in the near future. The new building will have highly efficient insulation and lots of carefully positioned windows to make the most of the natural light and ventilation.
We will replace the old heating system with modern equipment to improve energy efficiency and make your new Students' Union as sustainable as it can be. We'll be thinking about every little detail.
Renewable energy
Reduced running costs
Significant reduction in carbon emissions
More open to ideas
At the moment, the Students' Union is semi-connected to University House by a warren of corridors and staircases. It's not easy to get from one building to the other. We're going to fully connect the two buildings in a way that makes life easier for everyone.
The end result will be just like your award-winning Students' Union only bigger and better. Instead of the warren of corridors, there'll be more open space. It will be much easier to get into. The layout inside will be more intelligent, easier to get around. And there will be better access for disabled people.
The area around the building will be transformed too. The terraced grass area outside the Octagon will be landscaped to create a new plaza. We're planting trees and shrubs to create a natural screen between the plaza and the flyover. There will be a new walkway all around the building. Glossop Lane will be widened and there will be a new entrance on Glossop Road.
Inside
- Better insulation, to reduce the building's carbon footprint
- Six new meeting rooms for student societies
- More social and study space, open for longer
- Improved Students' Union Shop
- More natural light
- Improved Fusion and Foundry
- Better access to all services
- Improved catering, including New World Cafe with international dishes
Outside
- The space around the building will be transformed
- New landscaped Octagon Plaza will create an amphitheatre for performances
- New pedestrian routes around the building
- New cladding, so it looks like one building from the outside too
