UN halls of residence shortlisted for industry award

​​The first major building to be completed as part of Northampton’s town centre regeneration scheme is in the running for a prestigious industry award.

The University of Northampton’s St John’s Hall of Residence, which opened in January 2014, has been shortlisted in the Best Urban Regeneration Project category of the 2015 Brick Awards.

The awards are one of the most prestigious and established design and construction awards in the country, aiming to celebrate excellence in the use of brick for the design and construction of UK buildings.

Approximately 148,000 bricks were used in the construction of St John’s, with great care taken to ensure the 468-bed scheme complemented the adjoining Derngate conservation area.

The façade of the building, which is located in St John’s Street, includes a mix of materials and colours to break up the scale of the building, including six different brick types.

Simon Badcock, Project Manager Quantity Surveyor at the University, said: “Given the size of the building, its location and status as the first major building to be completed as part of the town’s Northampton Alive regeneration scheme, we had to get the appearance exactly right.

“We feel we achieved that, as it successfully nestles within its historic surroundings, while creating a distinctive character of its own.

“A lot of effort was put into finding the right blend of bricks, and the visual impact they have has really exceeded our expectations.”

St John’s Hall was designed for the University by architectural practice Church Lukas, with the bricks manufactured by Michelmersh Brick Holdings.

The Brick Awards winners will be announced at a glittering ceremony held at The Hilton, Park Lane, London, on Wednesday 18 November.

To find out more about The Brick Awards visit the website.