Leeds set to open glazed Rose Bowl building in April

When Leeds Metropolitan University vice-chancellor Professor Simon Lee made his first speech after taking on the job in 2003, he hinted at his vision for the university.

"My vision is of a reflective building, one which literally reflects the Civic Hall…which therefore figuratively unites the civic and education quarters of the capital city of the region, with open space leading to our neighbours," he said, according to the Yorkshire Evening Post.

Five years on and his vision has become a reality – a huge glass structure called the Rose Bowl will, as of April, house the universitys Leeds Business School and does in fact reflect the neighbouring Civic Hall.

The new glazed building is eco-friendly too – it received the top score of excellent on the Breeam sustainability scale.

Rainwater collection and a state-of-the-art boiler and heating system as well as automatic lighting all combine to mean the building produces electricity and carbon emissions that are ten per cent lower than the required limit.

The glazed building will hold seven lecture halls and will offer students 10,000 sq metres of space in which to learn.

It is the latest in a line of landmark glazed buildings introduced to the UK landscape over the past few years.

It recently emerged Londons Gherkin building is to get a glazed neighbour nick-named the Can of Ham.