SOAS

A Grade II listed building has been topped with a contemporary, complex geometry glass roof. Senate House – the new student hub for the University of London’s School of Oriental & African Studies (SOAS) has transformed an underused courtyard creating a multi-purpose space.

The clear, curved covering is an ambitious feat, free-standing high above the central atrium of Senate House. The £1 million glazed glass roof, which took 6 months to complete, is a double-curved shell structure and uses curved triple-glazed panels. The roof allows for a light-filled internal learning space with one of the key aims being sustainability. Natural light and ventilation helps keep running costs and energy consumption low.

Wintech were appointed on the design of the courtyard glass roof, providing complex geometry solutions; geometry curvature rationalisation as well as specifications, drawings, structural and thermal calculations for clients Mace.