Investment: Springfield Campus

NEW

Springfield Campus revitalises historic brewery

The University’s £100 million investment in a new construction excellence super-campus on the site of the former Grade II listed Springfield brewery in Wolverhampton will welcome its first students this September.

The opening of the new School of Architecture and Built Environment is the culmination of almost two years of construction and restoration of the historic buildings, including the 1922 clock tower, that survived a devastating fire in 2004.

The new School will specialise in supporting skills in architecture, construction, civil engineering, building control, building services, facilities management, quantity surveying, planning, construction management, housing and commercial.

The 7,900 square metre building, which sits in a 12-acre site, comprises specialist teaching and social learning spaces, design studios, specialist labs, multi-disiplinary workshops, lecture theatre, cafe, offices, meeting rooms, ICT rooms and a top floor super-studio with double height ceilings. It will provide space for nearly 1,100 existing students and 65 staff, although the number of students is projected to grow to 1,600.

At a topping out ceremony earlier in 2020, Professor Geoff Layer, ViceChancellor, said: “Since the purchase of Springfield in 2014, the derelict site

At its peak, the Springfield Brewery was producing 1,500 barrels of beer a week and employing 900 people.

has been rejuvenated into a centre of excellence for construction and the built environment, delivering an unbeatable skills pathway for construction education and training from the age of 14 to senior professionals and acting as a catalyst for economic and social regeneration.

“The new School of Architecture and Built Environment is investing and growing to meet the demands of modern industry and our strong links with employers enable programmes to be developed to closely match their needs – this offers our graduates great employment opportunities upon completion of their degree course.”

Richard Perry, Director of Associated Architects, which designed the campus, added: “This project is a fantastic example of what can be achieved when bringing together modern construction and historic building fabric. The re-purposing of this site has created a powerful piece of architecture, one that will act as a benchmark for future phases.”

Home to the West Midlands University Technical College, the University’s School of Architecture and Built Environment, and the Elite Centre for Manufacturing Skills, the regenerated former Springfield Brewery is central to the University’s vision of enhancing the student experience and supporting business growth. It will also be home to the University’s new National Brownfield Research Institute. “Creating an inspirational space for future generations of construction professionals to learn, share, innovate and develop new solutions to our built environment challenges is an immense privilege. Our partnership with the University, to enrich the current and future curriculum and student experience, has seen us capture a vast amount of data on the full construction process. This learning asset is another unique aspect of a project that is set to make a hugely influential legacy for our industry.” –Wayne Flannery, regional director for contactor ISG

“Supporting the delivery of this world-class educational facility that will have such an impact on the built environment is a real honour for the RLB team.” –Mike Lally, Head of Project Management at construction, property and management consultant Rider Levett Bucknall (RLB)

The new School of Architecture and Built Environment is investing and growing to meet the demands of modern industry.

he was “in the right place, at the right time” to return to Wolverhampton, 21 years after he graduated with a BSc (Hons) Construction Management.

He said the course helped him to prepare for a successful career in construction, which has taken him across the UK, Ireland and the Middle East. fascinated with leaders, having been

Springfield Brewery

The Butler family connection ended when Butler to house his growing Site Photographs brewing business, with the Springfield Brewery opening in 1874 under the William Butler and Company name.

The clock tower was built in 1922. to illustrate that I could learn at a higher level and display the level of intelligence that senior management would require. It was a great period in my life that will always stay with me and I will always promote to other people as it helped to shape me professionally.”

Liam joined ISG to help bid for and win the Springfield Campus project, with a vision to take it through to completion.

“I’ve worked on many projects across the world, all having contributed to the professional I am today,” he said. “It felt that the

Liam Davies, Senior Project Manager, ISG

A former construction management student returned to the University to lead the Springfield Campus project.

Liam Davies, project lead in charge of delivery for contractors ISG, said

timing was fate – the right project

“The leadership module was where at the right time for me as a Project

I ‘sparked’,” he said. “I had always been

Manager in the right location. “It’s been wonderful and

influenced by some great leaders challenging in equal measure. I’m

during my early career so I had sure the finished building will be

identified that being a good leader

would take me where I wanted to go. on what will be an iconic building is

“University for me just helped School of Architecture & Built Environment Site Photographs great for me, ISG and the University.”

About The 1922

The site was originally purchased in 1873 by William School of Architecture & Built Environment

1873

1950

award winning, so to be working

Samuel Butler left the board of directors in 1950. In 1960 the company was taken over by Mitchells and Butlers, with a gradual decline in production at the site, until brewing ceased entirely at the site in 1990, with it closing entirely in 1991 .

1960 1991

Rachel Toor, Assistant Building Manager, Willmott Dixon Interiors

“The highlights were definitely the relationships you build along the way both with fellow students and your lecturers. And, of course, the day you put on your cap and gown... it all becomes worth it.”

Rachel, a former plumbing and gas apprentice, studied part-time at the University, first for an HNC in Building Studies before completing her degree in Construction Management in 2017.

Now an assistant building manager at Willmott Dixon Interiors, Rachel has maintained a close relationship with the University, after one of her lecturers asked her to deliver a short presentation to the Construction Management students.

“I loved that,” she said. “I also had the privilege of coming back the year after Shaylor employed me at the Meet the Employer breakfast morning – this time as the employer! That was fantastic.”

She has also done volunteer days, including the F1 and F3 day on International Women in Engineering day at the Telford Campus. “That will forever go down as the best volunteer day I’ve ever done. I love to come back and get involved with my uni,” said Rachel.

She has fond memories of her time at the University, particularly the support of the staff. “I developed some great professional relationships with my lecturers,” she said. “They were so supportive, understanding and encouraging.

It can be quite difficult studying parttime but when they understand that and get the pressures of studying and working full-time, it just makes all the difference.”

Speaking at the topping out ceremony of the Springfield Campus, she added: “I am extremely jealous that I won’t be studying in the campus. It’s a building that combines history and new construction whilst maintaining character. If we want to attract the next generation then what we build and how we do it will have a huge impact. I would love to study on a site with such an interesting history and amazing character.”

2004

A ferocious blaze ravaged the site in 2004, destroying much of the historic site. Foundations were laid, but plans to build 300 homes on the site were abandoned amid economic troubles in the late 2000s.

2011

Broughs Brewery, a microbrewery, began producing Springfield Ale on the site in 2011 . The University of Wolverhampton purchased the site in 2014 – the start of ambitious plans to create a construction and built environment super-campus.