THE finishing touches are being made to a new sixth form centre extension as a North-East college enjoys unrivalled success.
Students have been flocking to Middlesbrough College’s purpose-built MC6 since it opened its doors for the first time in 2012.
Demand for places was so strong that the college, one of the most rapidly developing in the country, commissioned Niven Architects to design a £3m extension, due to open in the next few weeks.
Work is nearing completion on the brand new wing, which will see the addition of a further 13 classrooms and a science laboratory as part of a £20m investment at the college.
The hi-tech and environmentally friendly extension will double the number of student places at MC6.
Principal and chief executive Zoe Lewis said: “The opening of the new extension heralds another major milestone in the college’s development and the new build is delivering everything we hoped thanks to the sterling work of Niven Architects.
“The extension at MC6 is part of a multi-million pound investment programme which is allowing the college to increase student places and improve on the already first class facilities, including the creation of a £12m STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) Centre of Excellence.”
Clever design also means there is room for even more growth at MC6 as students are attracted to one of the most successful and best equipped facilities in the region.
Director of Niven Architects, a Darlington-based regional practice, Peter Hodges, said: “Our expertise in the area of education provision built up over the years is helping the region’s students continue their studies in some inspirational learning environments.
“We always enjoy working with Middlesbrough College for its dynamism and vision and were thrilled when they came back to us for the MC6 extension, which reaffirmed the quality of our work.”
Fellow director Simon Crowe added: “The design came together really well and the extension melds in perfectly with the sixth form centre.”
MC6 sits on the site of an ancient maritime factory breathing contemporary life into an historic setting.
Niven Architects cleverly blended the listed facade of an old sail-making works into an ultra-modern sixth form centre to meet higher than ever demand for places.
Phase one, worth £4.8m, injected new hope into the continued development of the Middlehaven site in Middlesbrough, which has faced a number of setbacks over the years.
Two walls were listed for their heritage and were incorporated into a more contemporary design featuring a red cube. Phase 2 began on site last October with work expected to be completed in the coming weeks.
