Warwick University Building is ‘West Midlands Building of the Year’

A UNIVERSITY building in Warwick has been awarded the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) West Midlands Building of the Year award.

The new interdisciplinary biomedical research building cost £54.3 million and aims to create a dynamic teaching environment for students studying life sciences and medicine.

Professor Miriam Gifford, Head of the School of Life Sciences, said: “The environment that was created when the building opened provided an inspiring space for research and teaching.

“The building has enabled collaboration with colleagues in the Life Sciences and Warwick Medical School and, more broadly, has enabled the formation of a community of scientists from many disciplines.”

The building will also house a large-scale art installation by artist Rana Begum.

It has five floors of laboratories and each floor has a different theme: neuroscience, infection, cell biology/development and a 400-seat lecture hall.

Thomas Ellmer, Curator of Exhibitions at Warwick Arts Centre, added: “We are delighted to include Rana Begum’s No.1250 Mesh (2022) in the University of Warwick’s new IBRB and to see the building recognized at the West Midlands 2024 RIBA Awards. .

“Begum is an artist working at the cutting edge of art and architecture; therefore, it seems only right to place this beautiful sculpture in a new building dedicated to providing world-leading research.”

The IBRB building will now go to the RIBA National Awards.