The Dyson Building is an educational centre for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) which has been built at Gresham’s School in Norfolk. Former Gresham’s student Sir James Dyson donated £19 million to create this prestigious new establishment with Wilkinson Eyre architects, winners of the Stirling Prize and Lubetkin Prize. The new Building stands alongside Greshams’ recently-opened Britten Music School, for which we were the acoustics consultants. We were delighted to be appointed for the acoustic design of the Dyson STEAM building.
The building provides an outstanding focal point for nurturing the engineers of the future. In addition to coventional teaching spaces, there are workshops, laboratories, informal study areas and a gallery for showcasing students’ work. The design concept focusses on an open feel to encourage collaboration between students of different disciplines. In the words of headmaster Douglas Robb, “The Dyson Bulding represents an aspiration jointly held by Sir James and Gresham’s School – that learning should be joined up and innovation encouraged”.
Spread across a floor area of 3900 square metres, the building features a light steel frame and exposed finishes along with a thermally efficient glazing system. The design incorporates other ecologically sound characteristics such as green walls and a sedum roof.
We were appointed at Stage 2 of the project, working alongside the architects, the contractor Kier Eastern and project managers Daniel Connal Partnership with whom we formed a very successful partnership for the design of the Britten Building – also at Gresham’s School. This music centre was opened in 2017 and has won a number of awards.
Building work on the Dyson Building started in April 2020 and a topping out ceremony took place a year later. The teaching centre is now fully operational.
