Construction Enquirer tipped the builder to take the job in July, ahead of rival bidders Laing O’Rourke and Vinci Construction.

Preliminary works have just started and the building is anticipated to be ready to welcome its first intake of students in September 2013.

The flagship project named University Square Stratford has been designed by architect Ken Shuttleworth’s Make practice

The project is a unique joint venture between Birkbeck, University of London and the University of East London.

University Square Stratford is designed to be a multi-use academic building comprising 8,600m² of floor space, orientated around a large light filled atrium of lecture, teaching and learning spaces, as well as dance studios and multipurpose spaces.

The five-storey structure will be reinforced concrete frame with a mixture of specification finishes that including finished timber surfaces, glazing, granite and glass facades.

The building which has been designed to achieve an ‘‘Outstanding’ BREEAM rating and will be clad in a mix of glazed curtain walling and photo voltaic panels.

Displacement ventilation will provide single source heating and ventilation using the raised floors as plenums, and 700m² of green roof areas, encouraging bio-diversity and reducing rainwater loss, which will provide water for WC flushing.

Richard Offord, managing director of VolkerFitzpatrick said: “After carrying out a large number of high profile projects in the Stratford area we are well versed to the particular challenges of working on this type of project and in this part of London.”