黑洞社区

The London School of Economics is set to appoint Mace to deliver the 拢123m redevelopment of its Centre 黑洞社区s in London - the university鈥檚 largest construction scheme in 70 years.

Mace beat off competition from three other undisclosed contractors invited to bid for the prestigious Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners-designed scheme.

Mace has been awarded a pre-construction agreement on the job and if this role goes to plan it will be confirmed as main contractor on the overall scheme, with a construction value of around 拢80m, in April 2016.

The job involves construction of two academic and teaching buildings of 13 and six storeys and a new public square at the Aldwych campus. Demolition contractor Cantillon is already on site clearing the way for the scheme.

Ken Kinsella, the London School of Economics鈥� (LSE) director of capital development, said the scheme was akin to 鈥渄oing open heart surgery in the heart of the LSE鈥� and praised Mace鈥檚 bid for its response to the logistical challenges posed by building in the centre of a live campus.

Kinsella added: 鈥淢ace had the hungriness for this job - the LSE saw that and it was a very positive response.鈥�

Kinsella said the LSE鈥檚 ambition was 鈥渁bsolutely鈥� to deliver buildings capable of winning the Stirling prize, referring to the university鈥檚 near-miss in last year鈥檚 Stirling prize, when its Saw Swee Hock student building was shortlisted but missed out to Liverpool鈥檚 Everyman Theatre.

He said the new Centre 黑洞社区s would feature more interactive teaching facilities and a 鈥渓earning commons鈥� at ground level, where there would be usable networked student space both inside and outside the building.

Terry Spraggett, business unit director for public sector at Mace, said the LSE scheme was 鈥渁 huge win for the group鈥� and a job it had been 鈥渢racking for some time鈥�, adding that Mace had been targeting work with London universities.

Spraggett said that the higher education market was 鈥渆xceptionally hot鈥� and said clients should 鈥渁lign themselves with firms who can actually deliver鈥�.

Mace has begun talking to potential suppliers and subcontractor packages will start to come to market over the next few months.

The building will be delivered using BIM and is aiming to achieve a BREEAM 鈥渙utstanding鈥� rating. The project is set to be completed by November 2018.