This central Midlands site formed part of an ERDF/UK funded scheme to create a network of ‘knowledge hubs’ providing supported office and learning space for start-up businesses and PhD student research from neighbouring Universities in key UK industries.
As the name iCon implies, the building aims to be the Innovation Centre for the Construction Industry. The brief was to create a low carbon and highly sustainable building for small companies and a conference centre within a masterplan development on the outskirts of Daventry. The masterplan envisaged space for the relocated University of Northampton, new employment land and the reinstatement of the Birmingham Canal, which had been drained.
As one of 80 anonymous entries, our successful submission was selected in an open international RIBA-sponsored competition. We completed this exemplary low-energy project within budget to enable Northampton University to operate the Centre. The project won the Regional BCO Award for best Commercial building.
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