Essex University

In late 2000 Allen Tod was commissioned by Essex County Council to carry out a masterplanning exercise for a Technology Research Park in Colchester.

Situated adjacent to the University of Essex, the design strategy links ‘town and gown’ with a landscaped green swathe. This continues the University theme of buildings set within a parkland setting, and allows for an incremental - and sustainable - approach in achieving a capacity of 56,000 sqm office space. As well as proposals for the ‘macro’, the finer points of construction were also addressed, chiefly concerned with the idea of prefabricated and modular building techniques.