Location: East London
Contractor: HA Marks Construction
Completion Date: April 2022
Products Used: Podium Bench
As part of a substantial refurbishment project spanning multiple University of East London campuses, Bailey Streetscene have supplied the University Square Stratford with an extensive tiered hardwood podium seating unit.
University Square Stratford is a unique joint venture between the University of East London and Birkbeck University of London that resulted in one of London’s most modern and well-equipped campuses and is home to 3,400 students, offering a breadth of courses from criminology to performing arts.
As with all new buildings in the city of London a level of ingenuity and forward planning was required to maximise on space - the cubic building champions an innovative and efficient way of sharing resources and facilities with flexible, state-of-the-art teaching, performance and administrative spaces.
A private courtyard on the grounds offers a secluded external space for students with planters, trees, colourful sculptures as well as one of the largest timber podium seating units Bailey Streetscene has ever produced. The second of 3 large podium units that have been supplied to this project.
This particular design takes into consideration space limitations and privacy with it being a taller unit with shorter platforms and includes a backboard that shields from the wind. The podium also reflects the modern design of the building with its squared edges. The well-finished Sapele cladding dissipates heat and cold achieving year-round usability.
Given the scale and sheer amount of timber involved - each unit was fully assembled at Bailey Street Furniture Groups’ Adlington Warehouse prior to dispatch to reduce any complications during installation.
The podiums were then packaged and delivered in assembled and clad segments which were easily joined together and aligned on site.
Located in the heart of Stratford’s expanding cultural quarter, the higher-education hub is part of the post-Olympic regeneration transforming the area with a vision to meet the growing aspirations of local people with an accessible, versatile and inspiring building that attracts a broad mix of students and serves a wide range of educational uses.
The project, led by HA Marks Construction, is now nearing completion and will see a full internal and external renovation across the Docklands Campus, the Stratford Campus, and the University Square Stratford Campus.
