Steel signing event marks next stage of build for flagship Creative Centre

Building firm Kier held a steel signing event at York St John University’s £13m Creative Centre. The physically distanced event was attended by Kier as well as the University’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Karen Bryan OBE along with Richard Hirst, Head of Strategic Estate and Property Management, as well as York St John Students’ Union President Jamie Andrews and President of Wellbeing & Diversity Emma Palmer. .

The event marked the commencement of the steel work before the cladding and brickwork is added and provided them with the opportunity to leave a lasting legacy in the new building.

The Centre has been designed with sustainability and adaptability in mind to cater for students’ needs, community use and the evolution of the University’s curriculum. Kier will deliver a 210-seat auditorium wrapped in pre-fabricated timber, a three-storey teaching block and 2,600m² of flexible, specialist teaching space.

A new 550m² atrium, with a glass and timber roof to allow natural daylight to enter the building, will act as an exhibition space, teaching space and theatre foyer to host lectures and performances. 

The facility is due to be completed in the summer of 2021.

Dan Doherty, regional director at Kier Regional Building Northern, said: “The steel signing marks an exciting point of the project and the commencement of the assembly of the steel frame. The team on site have worked incredibly hard to get to this point and have maintained social distancing guidelines throughout construction.”

Professor Karen Bryan OBE, Vice Chancellor of York St John University said: “I’m delighted to see the progress that Kier are making as our fantastic new Creative Centre project starts to become a reality. This flagship build will mean so much to our students and the wider community in future months and years. Investment like this is key if we are to feed our brightest minds and make sure that young people are supported with the facilities to flourish.”