Around 60% of the original building will be retained when the top three floors and roof plant enclosure are demolished and replaced by a lightweight cross-laminated timber extension, taking the building from 9,856 square metres to 11,848 square metres.<\/p>\n
New educational facilities for the LSE will accommodate the Firoz Lalji Institute for Africa alongside additional space for the Department of Mathematics, Department of Statistics, Executive Education and Data Science Institute.<\/p>\n
In collaboration with carbon consultant, Buro Happold, McLaren has identified practical strategies to reduce the embodied carbon footprint of the project. This includes re-evaluating material choices, omitting unnecessary components and integrating low-carbon alternatives wherever feasible.<\/p>\n
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<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\nMaterials salvaged for reuse include parquet and timber flooring, brass inlays from wall panelling, various lighting fixtures, ceramic tiles and rainwater hoppers and both internal and external brickwork. The team has also secured materials from other nearby sites for use on the project.<\/p>\n
The building\u2019s external appearance will be refreshed with a lime-based, off-white wash brush applied to the brick, maintaining the textured finish of the masonry, whilst masking imperfections.<\/p>\n
Julian Robinson, Director of Estates at the LSE said: \u201cThis transformative project represents a major milestone in LSE\u2019s ongoing commitment to innovation, sustainability and academic excellence. It sets out to redefine standards in building reuse and sustainable development, targeting high accreditations alongside ambitious embodied and operational carbon targets.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis facility will not only serve our academic community but also stand as an exemplar in sustainable design and construction across the sector. This is more than a building, it\u2019s a bold statement about the future of education, architecture and environmental responsibility.\u201d<\/p>\n
McLaren Construction\u2019s managing director for London & South, Darren Gill, added: \u201cRetrofit techniques have advanced to the point where we can remodel 70-year-old buildings to create world-class spaces at the same time as minimising both the embodied carbon in a construction project and the future operational carbon emissions.<\/p>\n
\u201cWith the new LSE Agora, McLaren will be responsible for creating a space that will become an iconic symbol of London\u2019s open academic life around the world.\u201d<\/p>\n
The new building is scheduled for completion in 2027.<\/p>\n
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