Oaklands College Construction & Engineering Building | Winner at the Constructing Excellence Awards and Finalist at the National Construction Excellence Awards

The skills shortage across the UK construction industry is well documented, and the new Construction & Engineering Building at Oaklands College directly responds by creating an innovative teaching environment where students can master the essential skills needed for vital trades.

Recently winning a Constructing Excellence Award and also a finalist at the National Construction Excellence Awards, this standout facility exemplifies how thoughtful design can strengthen the UK’s future workforce.

DLA Architecture led the Oaklands College masterplan, consented in 2018, with this latest phase set to complete in November 2024. The masterplan replaces outdated buildings with a modern, forward-looking campus that uses innovative construction methods and sustainable design as a teaching tool to create a student-focused environment. Nine new buildings are introduced, linked by landscaping enhancements that enrich the Green Belt setting, reduce civil works, and maximise investment in new teaching spaces.

The new Construction & Engineering Building features eleven classrooms, eight workshops, and ancillary support spaces. Designed with flexibility in mind, it accommodates traditional technologies while integrating renewable-led solutions. The transition from gas boilers to heat pumps ensures future engineers are trained on leading-edge systems.

Serving as both teaching space and teaching tool, the building features exposed services—including ASHP heating, MVHR ventilation, and visible runs of water, power, and data lines—allowing students to directly learn from the building. Daylit electrical installation and testing workshops offer a practical environment for electricians-in-training, and the electrical renewables workshop supports emerging curriculum areas like PV installation. There are also cross-disciplinary opportunities with Motor Vehicle courses, preparing students for EV-related technologies.

The facility supports formal theory, hands-on learning, and includes informal breakout spaces where students can study or relax between lessons. These immersive environments enhance the 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 CO₂ 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.”

Through this phase of the Oaklands College masterplan, the college and design team are not just delivering state-of-the-art facilities—they are inspiring the next generation of construction professionals to innovate, adapt, and build a more sustainable future.

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