Mace, together with the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) celebrate the completion of the new Marshall Building
The Marshall Building was designed by RIBA Stirling Prize winners Grafton Architects, and comprises ten upper floors and two basement levels, which house The Marshall Institute for Philanthropy and Social Entrepreneurship, along with the academic departments of accounting, finance and management, as well as teaching facilities and new sports facilities for the Students’ Union.
The building is situated in the southern corner of Lincoln’s Inn Fields occupies a pivotal position within the LSE campus.
Three entrances all provide access to the 1200 sq. metres great hall, an open plan space inviting students, visitors and staff to meet and socialise, and linking the building with the wider campus. A helical staircase connects to the teaching spaces on the first and second floor.
The team developed a complex structural solution, using large spanning concrete ‘trees’ in a cruciform arrangement.
In the great hall, six concrete trees rise from the ground floor with 28 extending branches forming a vault like ceiling. The result is a cathedral-like space, seamlessly connecting the interior with the surrounding cityscape.
The tree structure responds to the changing uses throughout the building, from large column-free zones for the basement and ground floor levels to smaller column grids for the offices and teaching spaces on the upper levels.
‘An ambitious and inspiring building’
Terry Spraggett, managing director of public sector construction at Mace, said: ‘’The Marshall Building is the second project we’ve delivered for the LSE. We are immensely proud to be part of this journey and supporting the LSE on such an ambitious and inspiring building.
“The quality is a testament to the close collaboration with the client, design team and our supply chain partners. I’m excited to see the Marshall Building occupied by students and staff and becoming a vibrant place for knowledge-sharing and learning for generations to come.’’
‘An inspiring academic environment for all’
Julian Robinson, director of Estates at LSE, said: “The Marshall Building continues our ambitious programme to develop our world-class campus and ensure an inspiring academic environment for all who come to study, research or simply visit the School.
“I am delighted that The Marshall Building is now open to the LSE community.”
The Marshall Building is the second project Mace successfully delivered for the LSE, following the handover of the award-winning Centre Building, the first on the campus that achieved a BREAAM ‘Outstanding’ rating.
