Education Today Education Today Magazine
National Architects, GSSArchitecture, have successfully achieved planning permission for a new custom music facility at Collingwood College in Durham.
The existing music facilities cannot accommodate bands greater than 4-5 members, and due to the positioning of the space below residential accommodation, the times available for use are limited due to noise breakout. With over 560 student residents on site at Collingwood College, the College were keen to listen to the views of the students, many of whom had been requesting an updated and expanded music provision.
The approved plans, which were put together by GSSArchitecture, incorporate high-quality facilities including a live room, drum booth, vocal studio, circulation/break out space and practice rooms. In order to provide a facility that will better suit the needs of the students, the layout has been designed to divide the space in to three sections: recording, social & entrance, and practice. This layout ensures reduced disruption to the recording suite from the practice rooms, therefore providing an improved space compared to the current music provision, which does not have dedicated spaces for recording and practising.
The single storey building is to be constructed on an existing car park at the College, adjacent to a major student circulation route to and from the campus. GSSArchitecture adopted a sustainable approach to the design of the building, including photo-voltaic panels.
Speaking of the approved designs for the new custom music facility, Professor Joe Elliott, Principal at Collingwood College, said “GSS has once again provided us with an iconic design that will enable our students to maximise their potential.”
