Daily Dose 1912

James Stirling + James Gowan

Daily Dose Monographic Images 1912 | James Stirling & James Gowan - Leicester Engineering Building "In 1957, Leicester received its Royal Charter, officially becoming Leicester University. Plans for new campus buildings were developed, including the concept of an engineering building situated near Victoria Park. The project was commissioned to architects James Stirling and James Gowan, along with engineer Frank Newby. The building’s layout includes a tower connected to adjacent workshops and laboratories, with a glass room resting on triangular struts angled at 45 degrees to the building’s façade. The building’s exterior presents a striking blend of red brick masonry and full-height glazing. The workshops exhibit an industrial toughness, with saw-tooth factory glazing sharply angled across the roof. Two joined towers, inspired by an aircraft carrier’s superstructure, sit atop the cantilevered lecture theaters and house labs and offices. The two large glass roofs, characterized by rippling ‘waves’ and angled at 45 degrees to the towers, face north to provide optimal lighting without direct sunlight, which could affect sensitive instruments." Photography by Richard Einzig, Eugeni Bach. Via HIC Arquitectura, the Canadian Centre for Architecture. Thanks to Oliver Lütjens.