PLANS to preserve and transform the Grade II listed URS building on the University of Reading’s Whiteknights campus have been submitted to Wokingham Borough Council.
The proposed refurbishment would bring the building back into full use, providing staff and students with fit-for-purpose, more accessible teaching and learning hub.
The URS building, commonly referred to as the ‘Lego’ building, is a 1970s ‘structuralist’ feature of campus, designed by Howell, Killick, Partridge, and Amis.
Originally the home of the faculty of Urban and Regional Studies, the URS building has been only partially occupied for teaching and study in recent years.
The university is aiming to ease pressure on other campus facilities by bringing the building back into full use.
If the plans are accepted, the works would see the building become the new home for the School of the Built Environment, scheduled for completion in 2028.
It would also form part of the Campus Heart, delivering space to support key University priorities around Teaching, Student Experience and Events.
has worked with architects Ayre Chamberlain Gaunt and heritage consultants Purcell to propose a scheme of internal and external upgrades that retain the original materials and structure of the URS building.
The refurbishment proposal includes increased capacity, spaces which support current teaching practices, improved accessibility and improved energy efficiency.
Repair and replacement work on the inside and outside of the building will adopt a heritage-led approach, retaining and enhancing its original features and materials.
Two additional staircases will be introduced on the south and east sides of the building to improve navigation around the building and meet fire escape requirements.
Given the heritage of the building, Estates have undertaken a wide-ranging pre-planning consultation with both the 20th Century Society and council planning and heritage officers.
Essential work to prepare the building for the refurbishment is already underway, with the main refurbishment scheduled to continue later in the year once the design and planning stages have been completed and approved.
A decision is expected in spring 2025.
Andrew Casselden, Director of Estates at the University of Reading, said: “The URS building is an iconic feature of our Whiteknights campus. This investment will vastly improve the experience of staff and students who use it and transform the building into a focal point of teaching and study on campus.
“We know that the URS building is loved by our staff, students and many local residents so we have worked with design and heritage experts to put forward a plan that respects the original architecture of the building, while introducing new elements that bring it up to date.”
The planning application documents can be viewed on the Wokingham Borough Council’s planning portalusing application numbers 243127 and 243128.
