grimshaw completes science building for dulwich college with an abstract tiled façade

the architects collaborated with sculptor peter randall to design a façade that presents a pattern based on the lindenmeyer algorithm, which replicates the growth processes of plants.

philip stevens October 22, 2016 3 min

grimshaw has completed a science building for london’s dulwich college that features an abstract tiled façade. costing a total of £14 million, ‘the laboratory’ is a state-of-the-art facility located at the heart of the school’s south london campus. internally, science laboratories for the lower and junior schools surround a 240 capacity multi-purpose auditorium intended for both the college and the wider community.

dr joseph spence and sculptor peter randall-page discuss the project in more detail
video courtesy of grimshaw

grimshaw’s design seeks to reflect dulwich college’s approach of cross-discipline collaboration with a balance of formal and informal learning spaces. biology, physics and chemistry departments each have their own dedicated floor, with the option of adjusting individual labs to create studio-like environments. the scheme also includes a three-storey atrium, an outdoor plaza for recreation and performance, and five high-end IT suites. middle and upper school laboratories are linked by a large hall that contains sir ernest shackleton’s ‘james caird’ lifeboat.

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all images by daniel shearing

embracing the color, texture and proportion adjacent italianate building, the design team developed a complementary composition of materials, including terracotta, bronze anodized aluminum, and pre-cast concrete panels. grimshaw collaborated with sculptor peter randall to design a façade that presents a pattern based on the lindenmeyer algorithm, which replicates the growth processes of plants. color is also used to differentiate the formal public facing sides of the building from the informal school-facing sides — cream for the former, and terracotta for the latter.

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the state-of-the-art facility is located at the heart of the school’s south london campus

designed in an ‘S’ shape, the building itself remains physically open with large windows framing generous external views. to prepare for future teaching needs, individual labs can be readily reconfigured with furniture that can easily be rearranged. from an environmental standpoint, photovoltaic panels have been fitted on all available roof space, while the building is self-cooled through the use of fixed visors on the windows. meanwhile, ground-source cooling provides an alternative to air conditioning.

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color is used to differentiate the public facing sides of the building from the school-facing sides