A multi-disciplinary design team led by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios has won the RIBA competition for the site next to the city’s Victoria Park.
The new 52m tall building will house the Faculty of Business and Law and the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences and boast a top floor restaurant offering panoramic views and large lecture theatres.
It forms part of the University’s ambitious £400m estate masterplan to be delivered over the next 10 years, including a new indoor sports facility in Ravelin Park.
The striking building design will feature two three-storey large ocular windows giving views across the city.
The building will house two 250-seat and a 500-seat lecture theatre at the lower levels of the building.
At ground floor level, a ‘Market Hall’ will offer versatile flexible civic space for the University and the city to gather.
A roof terrace, together with a destination restaurant situated on the top floor, will provide panoramic views to the Spinnaker Tower and will be open to the public.
Professor Graham Galbraith, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Portsmouth, said: “The design is an outstanding example of a sustainable and environmentally responsible building.”
Planning permission now needs to be sought and a construction firm appointed.
Andy Theobald, Partner at FCBStudios said: “Our proposals aim to deliver new academic neighbourhoods combined with inspirational teaching and learning that will enable innovative working, collaboration and creativity across the two faculties.
“Flexible enough to serve and evolve with the University, we have echoed the brief’s ambitions to establish a careful balance of environmental, economic and social sustainability. We are looking forward to working with the University to refine and deliver this project.”
