The £46 million contract to transform the existing structure into a world-class teaching environment will enable the LSE to more than double its teaching space at its central London campus. The imposing building was formally the Post Office Trust, an elegant structure built in 1912. In response to the client’s design brief Grimshaw Architects came up with an imaginative remodeling concept that incorporated an atrium, roof pavilion and a reworked forecourt area.  When finished it will provide four new lecture theatres, 18 classrooms and research facilities, with administration offices on the upper floors. The creation of the atrium is the single most striking feature of the scheme. This opens up the central area of the structure letting in light and air, and creating an uplifting space where students and staff can come together to share ideas and learn from one another. 

Within this atrium area two new lifts had to be installed. These were on the critical path and ways of speeding up the installation process were investigated by main contractor Geoffrey Osborne. Corefast, the modular, off-site core construction system, that uses Bi-Steel steel/concrete panels, was eventually selected as the best method of constructing the cores. McGee Group installed the two cores in approximately three weeks - this is almost four times faster than a reinforced concrete core could have been constructed. 

Corefast has proved highly beneficial on this project. Programme times have been substantially reduced, enabling the client’s tight deadline to be met, the system is highly accurate and easy to erect, no special skills or specialist sub-contractors are involved and site safety has been enhanced due to few hours worked at height.

Project Team

Architect: Grimshaw Architects

Structural Engineer: Alan Baxter and Associates

Main Contractor: Geoffrey Osborne Ltd

Steelwork Contractor: Bourne Steel Ltd

Corefast Core Erector: McGee Group Ltd