Rolle Building

Rolle Building

The Rolle Building takes its name from the Rolle family, long associated with Exmouth. It was the Rolle family that attracted wealth to that East Devon seaside town by developing the docks and through shipbuilding.

The Rolles were liberal patrons and spent much of their wealth on churches, chapels, assembly rooms and municipal buildings, also providing gas, electricity and water supplies throughout the town. This benevolence was continued by the family's descendants, the Clintons throughout the 20th century.

In 1946 a teacher training college was founded in Exmouth in Douglas Avenue. Three years later, in 1951, it was renamed Rolle College to commemorate the generosity that the family had shown to the town.

Now home to the Faculty of Health and Human Sciences, the striking design of the Rolle Building is, according to David Morley Architects, "an innovative solution to deal with the low sun angles... developed with fixed perforated aluminium curved shades designed to a geometry which responds to the movement of the sun during the critical periods of occupancy.

"The resultant sail like shape," say the architects, "reinforces a symbolic connection with Plymouth’s maritime heritage."

Rolle Building

The Rolle Building takes its name from the Rolle family, long associated with Exmouth. It was the Rolle family that attracted wealth to that East Devon seaside town by developing the docks and through shipbuilding.

The Rolles were liberal patrons and spent much of their wealth on churches, chapels, assembly rooms and municipal buildings, also providing gas, electricity and water supplies throughout the town. This benevolence was continued by the family's descendants, the Clintons throughout the 20th century.

In 1946 a teacher training college was founded in Exmouth in Douglas Avenue. Three years later, in 1951, it was renamed Rolle College to commemorate the generosity that the family had shown to the town.

Now home to the Faculty of Health and Human Sciences, the striking design of the Rolle Building is, according to David Morley Architects, "an innovative solution to deal with the low sun angles... developed with fixed perforated aluminium curved shades designed to a geometry which responds to the movement of the sun during the critical periods of occupancy.

"The resultant sail like shape," say the architects, "reinforces a symbolic connection with Plymouth’s maritime heritage."

Contact Information

University of Plymouth, James Street, Plymouth, PL4 4EQ
Telephone
01752 600600

Forthcoming events

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