University expansion reaches for the skies

A MULTI-MILLION pound expansion at Leeds Arts University has achieved a major construction milestone as the building’s steel frame structure reaches its highest point.

The five-storey, 63,500 sq ft extension costing £22m is a key element of an ambitious masterplan by Leeds Arts University – formerly Leeds College of Art – which gained university status last year.

The new extension will connect to the existing Blenheim Walk campus, allowing the university to further expand, offer more courses and provide an enterprise centre for students.

Representatives from main contractor ISG and the university came together to mark the ‘topping out’ milestone by spraypainting the university’s new logo on to the building’s floor slab. Vice-chancellor Professor Simone Wonnacott, left, said: “The ambitious plans for the expansion of our Blenheim Walk site have played a significant role in our aspirational vision for the future.” The building will ensure the university can grow to meet demand for places and the future expectations of students, creating a more diverse mix of courses. Specialist facilities will include a 230-seat auditorium and a larger specialist arts library. An open-plan atrium-style entrance, with a public exhibition gallery and coffee shop, together with the enterprise centre, will enable the university to collaborate with regional businesses and the wider communities.