Fears over UEA's plan to 'demolish' part of Grade II listed brutalist building

The university wants to make improvements to its Grade II listed teaching block, known as the ‘Lasdun Wall’, which was completed in 1970.

It says that if work is not carried out by 2025 the building will be unusable.

However, the Twentieth Century Society - which campaigns to protect modernist architecture - has expressed its concern.

While supporting much of the proposed scheme, it has raised fears over one aspect - the construction of an extension to the building's north side.

In an article on its website, it warns this "would see large sections of the original façade demolished" and that it "risks undermining the buildings listed status".

The society is also concerned that plans to increase the floorspace and use the building to house laboratories may harm its heritage rating.

A society spokesman added: "While being conscious of the need for the UEA to modernise, the proposed doubling of floorplans in particular, suggests the intended use for new laboratories is not compatible with this listed building.

"We'd therefore urge UEA to develop a more sensitive approach, looking to house disciplines within the teaching block that do not require such highly specialist spaces."

Concerns have been raised about the proposed redevelopment of the Lasdun Wall at the UEA (Image: UEA)

The plans have been in the pipeline for several years. They involve parts of building being stripped back to its original concrete frame and rebuilt, along with two five-storey, 2,900msq extensions added.

The work is also intended to improve the building's insulation, and much of its façade is being preserved.

The university says the building may have to be closed completely over safety concerns, if the work does not go ahead.

The new project will see two extensions built on the UEA's Lasdun Teaching Wall (Image: UEA)

A UEA spokesman said: “We have been working since December 2020 with a very wide range of stakeholders to prepare for our upcoming planning application for the first part of the refurbishment of the Grade II listed Lasdun Wall.

A computer-generated image of what the updated UEA campus could look like from above (Image: UEA)

"Significant repair and refurbishment is required to enable this iconic building to continue to support the university’s requirement for modern science research laboratories and teaching and learning facilities.

The teaching block of the UEA, known as the teaching wall, when it became listed in 2002 (Image: Denise Bradley)

"The required refurbishment will also deliver essential sustainability improvements to enable us to meet our pledge to be a net zero campus by 2045."

A computer-generated image of what the updated UEA campus could look like from above (Image: UEA)

The new plans come after a £65m to build a new teaching building on the university's car park - known as the Sky House - was scrapped.

The plan was given planning permission in March 2020, but the plan was dropped to allow greater focus on the refurbishment of the Lasdun Wall.

History of the Lasdun Wall

Archived picture of working being done on the UEA campus in the 1960s (Image: Archant)

The Lasdun Teaching Wall and its raised concourse makes up the main spinal block of the university's teaching area, and forms the backdrop to the campus' more famous Grade II* listed ziggurat buildings.

It consists of four separate buildings, three of which were originally designed to accommodate scientific research and teaching.

The building is in the brutalist style, which showcased bare building materials and structure over decorative design.

It was commissioned in 1962, with London-based architects Denys Lasdun and Partners producing the master plan for it, which was completed by Fielden and Mawson.

Through the designing process, Lasdun was determined to preserve the flat, marshy and open valley landscape of the site and designed the Teaching Wall and ziggurats with this in mind.

He studied the site forensically both on foot and from above by helicopter.

The building was completed in 1970 and is an example of the brutalist style of architecture that was popular at the time.

In 2003, two years after the architect's death, the Lasdun Teaching Wall was awarded grade II listed status.