The building for the Civil and Building Engineering  Department was designed by Arup Associates for Loughborough University in 1969. The building was the first to be constructed as part of the master plan comprised of square blocks of buildings and modular connections which was designed to ensure order and continuity in the development of the campus as well as allowing flexibility so that future requirements could be met. Each building on the master plan was designed to be of a universal adaptable design so that it could change to varying categories of accommodation needed by the university, including workshops, research laboratories, specialist and non-specialist teaching spaces.

The building features an array of adaptable solutions starting with a tartan grid system at four scales – a master grid for structural space units (10.5ft) to a planning grid (3.75ft).  Many of the building components are standardised and reusable enabling components to be refitted more easily.  The building structure is made of precast concrete with equal size corner columns which enable each 50ft. square unit to be an uninterrupted open plan space allowing for various plan arrangements. The open space utilises a versatile plan of services and internal partitions based on the 3.75ft planning grid along with an enormous 5ft service void which was allowed for larger-scale changes in technology and for the floors to be maintenance uninterrupted.