The Associated Architects-designed hub for medical teaching at the University of Leicester has been officially named in honour of the fashion retailer and design guru George Davies. Davies headed Leicester-based chain Next from its creation in the 1980s, before moving on to start the fashion label George at Asda and more recently launched the Per Una fashion collection at Marks & Spencer.
The centre was unveiled as the George Davies Centre by Sir David Attenborough and his nephew Michael Attenborough, who are co-patrons of the University of Leicester’s Centenary.
Professor Philip Baker, head of the College of Life Sciences, said:
“The centre will become a central hub speeding the translation of research to real world improvements for patient treatment.”
It is currently the largest building in the UK to achieve the ultra-energy efficiency standard of Passivhaus. Along with EPC A and BREEAM Excellent ratings, the design delivers a robust sustainability agenda.
