Glassworks, Coquet Street

Creating a home away from home for university students

Despite a challenging site and a tight programme Orbit created a campus of buildings providing exceptional student accommodation using innovative methods of construction.

Two of the five storey buildings are constructed of timber frame and the other three are constructed using pre-fabricated modular shipping containers manufactured in China. The containers came pre-finished with joinery, shower rooms, and kitchens all plumbed to the risers speeding up the construction time on site. Orbit also did the interior design for the communal areas which utilised the site’s heritage and the building’s features keeping the finishes quite raw and industrial. There has been some great feedback from the students calling it a home away from home, and the communal areas are popular for those both studying and socialising.

https://www.truestudent.com/newcastle/newcastle-glassworks