The Diamond
The Diamond, an Engineering building of the University of Sheffield, is a stunning piece of modern architecture. The design features an intricate facade using various textures. The anodised aluminium and triple glazed façade draws inspiration from the detailing of the surrounding historic buildings and in particular the stone tracery that frames the windows of the adjacent church. It also references a ‘cellular automaton’, a discrete model studied in the field of engineering and used by the University to describe how the microstructure of steel changes during processing. To reduce internal heat gain and solar glare the size of the windows on the south elevation are smaller than those on the north, and the external diamond shaped pattern provides an element of solar shading. (Sheffield, England)
