With the previous Students’ Union building at Aston University being more than 50 years old, Aston’s SU needed a drastic update and was to be replaced by a more sustainable building.
The Core project, which cost £6.3m in total, is a two-storey steel-framed building which was designed by Robothams Architects.
For the aluminium glazing elements, the Bennett Architectural team installed Kawneer’s AA720 Windows and Doors, AA540 Windows and AA100 Curtain Walling.
The glazing surrounding the building included both spandrel panels and vision glass units.
The glass used was coated in one of up to 6 different bold colours, giving the external facades a vibrant aesthetic for the students using the building.
The glazing stretches across much of the South West elevation and reaches all the way from the floor to the ceiling of the second floor in parts.
This helped provide natural light throughout the building contributing to a bright and welcoming space for the students of Aston University.
The new SU includes a café, bar-restaurant, social spaces, prayer rooms and washing facilities, a games area, media room, multi-exhibition rehearsal space, office space and multi-shared toilets.
Sustainability is becoming more and more important as the UK draws closer to its 2050 deadline for net-zero carbon.
This meant it was a vital achievement that the new SU was A-rated for energy performance and utilised sustainable materials within its construction.
Aston University’s new Students’ Union opened to the public in May of 2019.
