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Museum piece

Designed by Arup Associates in 1971 in the brutalist style, the building that houses the University of Cambridge’s Museum of Zoology, and the Department of Zoology, was recently named in honour of former Cambridge student Sir David Attenborough. To mark the event, the department has been turned from one of the university estate’s poorest performing buildings into a model of retrofit, helped by the Pilkington glazed units that replaced expanses of single glazing. The firm not only provided the Optifloat glazing fitted within the new Schueco cladding system, but Suncool for rooflights, Optilam for the atrium roof and Pyrostop where fire protection was required. Nicholas Hare Architects was responsible for all the upgrade works, which involved a major rethink of museum access to make circulation more intuitive for the public.

 

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