Daisy Cooper MP Launches the New Construction and Engineering Building At Oaklands College

The skills shortage across the UK has been widely publicised, the new Construction and Engineering building at Oaklands College creates an innovative teaching environment for students to master the essential skills required for much needed trades in the construction industry. DLA Architecture is the lead designer for the Oaklands College masterplan, which was consented in 2018 and this latest phase, is now completed.

The masterplan strategically replaces the outdated buildings, in order to create a modern and forward looking campus championing innovative construction methods and sustainable design solutions as part of a teaching tool to create a student-focused environment.

Nine new buildings are introduced by the masterplan, connected by landscape improvements, which will enhance the Green Belt setting whilst minimising civil works maximising the capital investment on new teaching environments. This facility includes eleven classrooms, eight workshops, and a range of ancillary accommodation. The building has been designed with flexibility in mind, enabling a seamless transition from traditional technologies to new, renewable-led solutions.

Switching from gas boiler to heat pumps, ensures that future plumbers are trained for this next era of technology. Serving both as a teaching space and a teaching tool, the building features exposed services—including ASHP heating, MVHR ventilation systems, and water, power, and data service runs.

Daisy Cooper MP said in her opening speech:

“I’ve had a tour of the building and it’s absolutely fantastic. The kind of technology that, the students are going to be working with has changed during the course of this building being built –  I love the fact that the college is so flexible and it can accommodate any new technology. It’s a really sustainable building  as well – something that we desperately, desperately need.

We know that this government in particular, not my policy, but this government has said they want to build, build, build.  There is a question mark about who’s going to do all that building. This college will be part of that answer. We need to have a construction workforce that is built for the next 10-15 years. It is really fantastic to see the college and employers working hand in glove on developing this, because that’s the way to begin to get the skills that we need to build this workforce.”

High-quality, daylit electrical installation and testing workshops provide a practical learning environment for aspiring electricians, with visible building systems demonstrating real-world functionality. The electrical renewables workshop will support new curriculum areas such as PV installation, while cross-disciplinary opportunities with Motor Vehicle courses will help students transition to EV-related technologies.

The facility supports formal theory and practical learning while introducing informal study spaces where students can work or relax between lessons. These spaces immerse students in a construction-focused environment, enhancing their educational experience.

Chris Levett, Director at DLA Architecture, said

“DLA Architecture is passionate about Further Education and the key part it plays in the UK economy. This building has been designed not only to create a ‘real work environment’ but also to engender curiosity from students, to discover how the building was built from daily use. From exposed construction methodologies to demonstrating different brick bonds, the building is a potent teaching tool”

Oliver Watson, Associate at DLA Architecture, added:

“Sustainability and the circular economy has been at the heart of our design. We have prioritised reducing the C02 and environmental impact of those elements that could be replaced many times during the lifespan, such as services fittings, FF&E and internal finishes. The specification of the internal finishes use elemental components that can be easily accessed for repair or upgrade. This approach also becomes part of our strategy of designing the building as a teaching tool and a test bed for future construction.”