VISION 35—HIGHER LEARNING
Buildings can be like your children—all of them your
favorites, but within this building is there an area or
feature of which you are especially fond?
One of the project’s aims was to reveal learning within the
building rather than defined as a mausoleum or triumph to
a piece of architecture; it was about revealing what’s going
on. The student common room, for example, opens out onto
the Bulpadock, to the north which is the social heart of the
college. The glazed cloister reveals and opens the wonders
of Trinity College life back into Tin Alley. It’s probably this
relationship on the ground floor that works best of all.
Where does this building succeed where many other
campus buildings fail?
The project demonstrates a level of innovation while
striking a balance with heritage and tradition. There’s the
Hawthorn black bricks and use of bluestone that express
absolute elegance, counter-balanced with understated
simplicity with a good measure of innovation and our
modern approach to learning.
18
A distilled material palette achieves high levels
of natural illumination and ‘warmth’ via natural
timbers and colour highlights.
Right: Central staircase connects to
footbridges. Administrative offices are on
the top floor with classrooms on all levels
and music tuition and rehearsal rooms are
below ground.