Buckinghamshire New University-The Gateway, Buckinghamshire, United Kingdom

Construction has begun on ‘The Gateway’, a new 24 hour, mixed-use campus for Buckinghamshire New University.
When complete, the 24 hour Gateway will be used by students, staff and the public to enjoy with various facilities in a compact and exciting new building. They include a learning resources centre, a multi-purpose hall, sports, leisure, music and multi-media facilities, in addition to a cafeteria and the University’s main reception.
The Gateway consolidates three of Buckinghamshire New University’s existing campuses into one facility prominently located on its central High Wycombe campus and is just one of several new campuses that RMJM is delivering for universities around the UK, from Sheffield University to the newest campus at Suffolk.
RMJM worked closely with the council on their evolving vision and masterplan for High Wycombe in particular, identifying the area around the University and nearby theatre as a future arts quarter for the town.
To achieve the University’s and the local council’s aspirations, the architects had to optimise the potential of this constrained, centrally located site to accommodate the myriad of facilities without compromising the building’s spatial or visual impact. It was also a key target that the new building achieves a BREEAM ‘very good rating’ for its energy performance when completed in September 2009.