Planning permission for a new 400 seat lecture theatre facility at Lancaster University’s main Bailrigg Campus has been granted two weeks ahead of schedule. The new facility will be the largest lecture theatre on the university campus, catering to the University’s growing student body when it opens in September 2020.

Located in the centre of the campus, the theatre will adjoin the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences building and is accessed directly off the main ‘spine’ pedestrian route. This proposal aims to create a stopping point along the ‘spine’ with a striking building which contrasts the more conventional surrounding spaces. It will also establish high quality external spaces for students and faculty to enjoy. It will also establish high quality external spaces for students and faculty to enjoy. State of the art technology will be utilised within the space to streamline both the teaching and learning experiences. The facility will also cater to external events outside of term time. Following a ‘fabric first’ approach and building upon the University’s strong ethos of sustainability the project has been designed with Passivhaus standards in mind. The project will be targeting AECB certification once complete.