Dezeen Magazine

Senate House by Fielden Clegg Bradley Studios

Register for our Architecture Project Talk about Senate House by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios

The University of Bristol's Senate House building by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios is the focus of Dezeen's next Architecture Project Talk, presented in partnership with the Forest Stewardship Council. Register to watch the webinar at 11:00am London time on Wednesday 3 November.

Architects from London architecture practice Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios will present the Senate House refurbishment they completed earlier this year, turning the 1960s administration building into a vibrant student hub.

A photograph of Senate House by Fielden Clegg Bradley Studios exterior
Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios refurbished Bristol University's 1960s Senate Building, turning it into a student hub

The online talk is one of two Dezeen is hosting in partnership with the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), in which architects will speak about key projects built using FSC-certified wood. The webinars will count towards continuing professional development (CPD) points for UK architects.

Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios' refurbishment modernised the look of the building, improved its exterior, and made it more sustainable with low-energy heating and lighting.

A photograph of Senate House by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios double-height atrium with timber cladding
The architects prominently use timber slats inside the building

The project makes prominent use of timber slats throughout the interior, including in a double-height extension that houses a new atrium.

The renovated building now includes co-working spaces, a food court, a student union-run bar and student information services.

There is also a multi-faith prayer room, a "Global Lounge" that functions as a hub for international students, a collaborative space for postgraduate research students and an extended student union "Living Room" that incorporates the university's first sensory room, providing a calm space for people with autism or sensory processing disorder to relax.

Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios consulted directly with Bristol University students to create a vision for the project that would feel student-owned and improve mental wellbeing.

A photograph of Senate House by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios wayfinding sign in corridor
The building includes many kinds of study and social spaces

The practice was recently awarded the Building Design Award for Refurbishment Architect of the Year for its work on Senate House.

"Senate House shows the potential for transformational change, as a refurbished and extended building, but most importantly for its users," said Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios associate Nick Hodges.

Architecture Project Talk: Senate House will take place at 11:00am London time on Wednesday, 3 November 2021.

Register for the webinar ›


Dezeen x FSC Architecture Project Talks

This series of Architecture Project Talks is produced by Dezeen in collaboration with FSC, a non-profit membership organisation created to maintain sustainable and resilient forests.

FSC certification verifies that the wood used in a project has been sourced sustainably. The organisation currently manages over 225 million hectares of certified forests.

Sign up to FSC's mailing list via the webinar registration pages to hear more.

Read more about Dezeen partnership content here.