Heriot-Watt University.

With student numbers still to be finalised at the time of design – ranging between 2,500 and 5,000 on campus at any one time – flexibility was key. Additionally, higher education spaces typically demand higher and deeper aspect ratios so creative thinking was also required to deliver a design within the constraints of a shell and core frame originally intended for segregated office use. We designed a fire strategy and life safety systems to accommodate the maximum number of occupants, and provided MEP solutions such as plug and play underfloor busbar and adjustable partitions with modular HVAC servicing to allow the university to reconfigure spaces to suit demands . This became a continual balancing act in terms of how best to distribute the MEP provision due to constraint imposed by the basebuild infrastructure.

The aspiration to achieve LEED Gold certification was only instructed by the client post completion of RIBA Stage 4a. Embracing this late challenge, we refined the MEP design, achieving reductions in water use and lighting power densities, as well as working closely with the contractor during their mobilisation period to maximise use of locally sourced materials.

An integrated part of the architects’ team from the preparation and briefing stage through to project handover and beyond – with Stage 7 involvement as part of the defects liability period – we regularly worked directly from BDP’s design studio during key stages, and actively advised the client throughout the tender award process and selection of contractor Khansaheb.

We provided consistent guidance throughout design and construction; the only team to maintain the same personnel structure for the duration of the project. This paid dividends with regard to knowledge retention and risk management; we were able to advise Heriot-Watt staff new to the project the history behind each design-related decision , and keep the contractor on course throughout the construction period.

We drove the long process of end-user technical requirements and ensured each faculty’s demands were captured in the final design. Working closely with BDP to ensure over 94% of all equipment and appliances were Energy Star compliant, we optimised energy performance. Specifying LED fittings where possible and providing low-energy luminaires in keeping with the interior design aesthetic, we achieved a 34% reduction in lighting power consumption compared to ASHRAE/IESNA Standard 90.1–2010’s baseline rates. 98% of the lighting load was connected to occupancy sensors and 63% was connected to daylight sensors where daylight harvesting was possible . Employing a combination of low flow fittings and leak detection measures, we achieved a 46% reduction in water use compared to LEED’s baseline water consumption.

So popular that the backlog of applications stretches into 2023, the new campus not only doubles the university’s student capacity but minimises the ‘us and them’ feeling that siloed office set-ups can impose. Open and accessible to the student population, staff faculty areas encourage interaction, while a newly dedicated business and enterprise area gives students industry experience of real-world projects via placements with companies with HQs in the Dubai Knowledge Park area. These include Google, Bloomberg, Amazon and Samsung.

VR suites allow students to link in to live lectures taught from the Edinburgh and Malaysia campuses, increasing the variety available; a dance, fitness and yoga studio and dedicated wellbeing rooms promote mental and physical health; and students benefit from a recreation zone, shop, and extended bus routes to campus. This was achieved in conjunction with the local authority in order to meet LEED Gold accessibility requirements.

Collaborative lecture theatres feature shallow rake tiered and booth-style seating encouraging peer discussion, plus pod rooms for group sharing via interconnected PCs, while our exposed services solution amplifies the perceived heights of teaching rooms, helping with viewing angles.