Saw Swee Hock

"The building is designed to embody the dynamic character of acontemporary Student Union. The complex geometries of the siteprovided a starting point for an unconventional arrangement ofirregular floor plates, each one particular to its function and eachworking into the next by an intricate system of trapezoidal spatialconfiguration. Space flows freely in horizontal plan and verticalsection, with stairs gently twisting and slowly turning to create avariety of diagonal break-out spaces at landings and crossingsthroughout the building."Saw Swee Hock provides an overview of the Saw Swee HockStudents' Centre, the first new building constructed at the LondonSchool of Economics (LSE) for over 40 years. It includes a reception,offices, bars, a fitness centre and event and media facilities. Thebook looks at the commissioning process on the part of LSE, throughthe appointment of O'Donnell + T uomey Architects--who wereselected following a two-stage international design competition injune 2009 -- to then focus on the way in which the architects haveresponded to the complexities of the brief and in collaboration withthe bespoke manufacturers involved; particularly, the quality of thebricks, each of which is hand-formed, resulting in a facade that isboth striking and very unusual for central London.The commissioning of this type of building is the manifestation ofa larger and particularly interesting phenomenon that is happeningon a global scale: LSE, like a number of other academic institutionsaround the world, has put up an aggressive programme of worldclass architecture as a way of competing with other schools toattract students internationally. The book includes contributionsby julian Robinson of LSE Estates, as well as interviews with thedesigners and manufacturers who were involved in the processof the building's realisation."