Engineering Building, University of Leicester
United Kingdom · Engineering Building, University of Leicester
Photo · Photo © John Levett
A precedent for expressive, crystalline roof glazing systems that combine functional daylighting with a highly sculptural, geometric facade expression.
- What we like about this project
- The way the lower diamond points cantilever outward over the solid base, creating a floating, crystalline effect.
Materials
- glass
- steel
- aluminum-framing
- translucent-glazing
Visual identifiers
- crystalline-skylights
- sawtooth-roof
- faceted-glazing
- diamond-geometry
- james-stirling
Style tags
- late-modernist
- high-tech
- brutalist-era
Visual tags
- high-tech
- british-brutalism
- roofscape
- daylighting
- geometric-pattern
- glazing-system
- Geometry
- A repeating pattern of diamond-shaped, three-dimensional crystalline skylights. The geometry consists of faceted, projecting glass prisms that form a sawtooth-like roof profile, arranged in staggered horizontal tiers.
- Facade system
- Custom faceted patent glazing system with metal framing.
- Structural guess
- Steel-framed space frame or truss system supporting custom glazed modules.
- Spatial scale
- Medium-scale architectural envelope detail, showing repeating structural glazing bays.
- Lighting
- Cool, diffused daylight reflecting off angled glass panes, creating soft gradients and highlights across the faceted surfaces.
- Atmosphere
- A cool, industrial, and highly structured atmosphere defined by repeating geometric glass forms.
- Environmental context
- An industrial or academic roofscape, framed closely to emphasize the repeating geometric modules.
- Spatial experience
- The exterior presents a highly sculptural, crystalline skin that suggests a dynamic, light-filled interior volume beneath.
- Composition rhythm
- A rhythmic, staggered repetition of triangular and diamond-shaped glass projections across two visible tiers.
- Style reading
- Late Modernist / British High-Tech
- Program
- University engineering laboratory or workshop
- Perspective
- Exterior Facade
- Discipline
- architecture
- Materials
- glass, steel, aluminum-framing, translucent-glazing
- Visual identifiers
- crystalline-skylights, sawtooth-roof, faceted-glazing, diamond-geometry, james-stirling
- Style tags
- late-modernist, high-tech, brutalist-era
- Visual tags
- high-tech, british-brutalism, roofscape, daylighting, geometric-pattern, glazing-system
- Geometry
- A repeating pattern of diamond-shaped, three-dimensional crystalline skylights. The geometry consists of faceted, projecting glass prisms that form a sawtooth-like roof profile, arranged in staggered horizontal tiers.
- Facade system
- Custom faceted patent glazing system with metal framing.
- Structural guess
- Steel-framed space frame or truss system supporting custom glazed modules.
- Spatial scale
- Medium-scale architectural envelope detail, showing repeating structural glazing bays.
- Lighting
- Cool, diffused daylight reflecting off angled glass panes, creating soft gradients and highlights across the faceted surfaces.
- Atmosphere
- A cool, industrial, and highly structured atmosphere defined by repeating geometric glass forms.
- Environmental context
- An industrial or academic roofscape, framed closely to emphasize the repeating geometric modules.
- Spatial experience
- The exterior presents a highly sculptural, crystalline skin that suggests a dynamic, light-filled interior volume beneath.
- Composition rhythm
- A rhythmic, staggered repetition of triangular and diamond-shaped glass projections across two visible tiers.
- Style reading
- Late Modernist / British High-Tech
- Program
- University engineering laboratory or workshop
- Perspective
- Exterior Facade
- Discipline
- architecture