By Samantha Lo
The Marshall Building at LSE has won the ‘World’s Most Beautiful Campuses’ 2023 award from Prix Versailles, announced every year at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
The Prix Versailles celebrates architectural sites that exemplify “exceptional architecture and design” and “highlights the primary role of the Laureates in beautifying and improving the living environment.”
The award has eight different categories, including campuses, airports, and shopping centres.
Designed by Grafton Architects, the Marshall Building opened in January 2022, providing study and social areas, lecture theatres, and a café to support students’ daily campus activities, whilst occasionally welcoming public speakers for events.
Other than beauty and design, the Prix Versailles also focuses on “principles of intelligent sustainability, taking the projects’ ecological, social and cultural impacts into consideration.” The Marshall Building has a ‘low energy displacement ventilation system’ as part of its ‘operational energy modelling’, showcasing the architects’ commitment to sustainability.
Helen*, a student at LSE, is glad that the Marshall Building is being recognised on the global architecture scene. She states that she is “honoured to have access to this place because it’s carefully designed, curated for comfort and supports vibrant student activities”.
Some students agree on the aesthetic value of the building, but highlight that the lack of study spaces undermine its design. “It’s beautiful but unfit for its function,” Trevor* said, explaining that for him, this makes the building undeserving of the praise. Rita* agrees: “It is pretty and modern but I wish the design was more practical… there’s a lot of open spaces but there aren’t that many study desks”.
The Marshall Building won 10 awards before its completion, being crowned the ‘Unbuilt Winner’ by New London Architecture in 2018.
Sir Paul Marshall, whom the building is named after and who contributed the funds for the building’s development, previously expressed: “We are delighted that the Marshall Building is providing a vibrant and welcoming space for LSE’s faculty, students and partners”.
Photo from Stock
