Transforming the St. Mary’s Road entrance
Intro
The University is building a new single-storey front entrance on the St. Mary's Road (SMR) façade, to extend the current reception area and provide an even more welcoming environment for students, staff and visitors.
Key features:
- Eco-friendly design, using a recycled steel and timber structure.
- Boosting biodiversity with a green roof, green wall and raised planters.
- Improved lighting with large glass panels and mirror design elements.
- Rainwater harvesting, with rain collection to support sustainable planting.
- New waiting area, coffee outlet, and expanded social seating, to provide more opportunities for social connection.
Latest updates
- 16 December 2024: Cleaning of the front facade has been completed to remove dirt and grime that has built up over the years. This will give the space a fresh new appearance. The window replacement program has started with windows in the William Barry Theatre being replaced in the lead-up to Christmas and the Byron 3rd floor due to be replaced in the new year.
6 January 2025: Replacement of the windows and balconies on the front façade has started. The new windows will improve the energy efficiency of the building with the new balconies enhance the look and feel.
The temporary lecture theatre is being installed in The Park car park, providing supplementary teaching space during the works. The room number is PK.CP.001 and signs directing people to it will say ‘Park Lecture Theatre’. Please keep an eye out for parking information.
- 7 January 2025: The Park car park closed
- 17 January 2025: SMR Reception closes at the end of the day
- 18 January 2025: A new secondary entrance through the triple fire exit on Warwick Road will open until the start of the new academic year. The reception from inside the building can be found next to the Savoy Suite on the Lady Byron corridor.
20 January 2025: Student Experience Facilitators will be outside the St Mary's Road entrance signposting students and staff to the entrance on Warwick Road. Fencing and hoarding will start to go up.
Please use the Park entrance where possible. Students and staff will be able to swipe in and out through the Warwick Road entrance but we encourage you to use The Park entrance where possible.
For overnight access to the Library, students will need to use the fire exit by the Haven between 10.30pm and 7.30am.
Sorry for the disruption. We promise it will be worth the wait.
