Essex lecture hall earns architecture prize

A lecture hall at Essex University which uses green cooling techniques has won a regional accolade.

The Ivor Crewe lecture hall, which Prince Charles has likened to a giant dustbin, has been selected as one of the eight winners in the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) East awards.

Designed by Patel Taylor, the £6 million steel-clad, now goes on to compete in the national round of the competition.

Andrew Nightingale, director of estate management at the university, said: “The lecture hall complements the strong architectural form of the original 1960s campus and is a 21st Century addition to our reputation for landmark architecture. It has also proved a really successful building for its functionality, flexibility and sustainability.”

It is the second prize the building has collected since the heir to the throne’s comment.

The building, which uses a water heat exchange system instead of chemical refrigerants, has previously won an accolade from the Civic Trust.

Essex University has also installed a wind turbine in a bid to harness renewable energy