The Hive, Worcester
The Hive, Worcester is the first fully integrated university and public library in the UK. It also houses the county archives and archaeology service, the local history centre and local authority hub. The building is low energy. This is a result of our passive design approach which cuts energy use to half that allowed under building regulations.
The distinctive roof cones serve to exhaust warm air and introduce daylight deep into the building. Cooling is provided by water from the nearby River Severn running through pipework embedded in the concrete ceilings. Rainwater is harvested for WC's and washing archaeological discoveries.
Thinking sustainability runs through every detail of the building. To that end it has achieved a BREEAM Outstanding rating (86.40%) for the final post construction certification. This result is testament to the commitment and collaboration of the design team and the contractor on this complex PFI project.
The west facade and the children's reading island
Daylight to the atrium is controlled by the structural timber shading, a good acoustic environment results from careful use of absorption around voids.
Daylight in the atrium
Sunlight plays on the acoustically absorbent balustrades
Air enters around the building perimeter, rises through the voids due to buoyancy and exits via the roof cowls under negative wind pressure.
The Hive, Worcester is one project in our continuing story of nearly 50 years of delivering exemplary low energy cultural and educational buildings.