Enhancing our physical spaces
- Written byStudent Communications
- Published date 16 November 2023
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We're actively improving our campus environment
We're investing in our spaces, not only to accommodate more students but also to enhance your overall learning experience and broaden our academic offerings, in line with Guiding principle3 of our Strategy and in response to your feedback.
Over the summer break the Estates team at UAL have been busy managing extensive refurbishments, building works, site upgrades and openings across all of our Colleges.
Here’s a quick run through of some of things that have happened so far:
CCI
Our CCI students now have additional facilities at High Holborn, where we’ve created a research lab and two large teaching spaces especially for this cohort.
Holborn also has a newly decorated Multi-Faith Room, a new bike store, and the former Blueprint Café space has been completed refurbished, creating a stylish social space for students and staff to relax, study and socialise.
Additionally, there is a brand-new Library hub, located at the bottom of the High Holborn building, with study spaces, computers, docks and screens and a dedicated team to provide enquiry and course support. The hub will primarily support CCI and Doctoral school staff and students, however, as with all our libraries, everyone at UAL is welcome to use it.
CCW
Work at CCW included refreshing the café space at Chelsea by redecorating the venue with a refined palette of warm earth tones and applying a meticulously curated layout to enhance its functionality and visual appeal for students and staff.
Extra storage space in the café has been created as a result of the refurb, meaning that you can use our (reusable) ceramic mugs and plates when you’re dining in the cafe; a move which aligns with our commitment to sustainable practices and reducing consumption of disposables.
If you’ve been over to Wimbledon this term, you will have noticed quite a number of impressive changes. The site has recently undergone a multimillion-pound redevelopment creating an enhanced streetscape and entrance approach, as well as a redesigned and rejuvenated front for the Annex building. The redevelopment scheme has also provided a host of new facilities including new gold, silver and bronze standard design studios and rehearsal rooms, a refurbished theatre, new toilets and changing facilities, new workshops and a completely refurbished library. The redevelopment is intended to build on and reinforce Wimbledon’s long legacy as a centre of excellence for performing arts.
We’ve also just opened our first Changing places toilets (CPT) at Wimbledon (located behind the main reception in A block), with another at Camberwell being prepared. Our new sites at LCF and LCC will also have CPTs.
CPTs offer additional facilities and larger spaces than standard accessible toilets, making them more convenient for people who need to use large complex equipment or require assistance from others to change clothing or continence pads, with privacy and dignity. Key equipment includes an adjustable bench, supporting hoist, centrally located toilet with standing space on either side and a non-slip floor. We’re currently one of only two London universities to have these facilities on campus.
LCC
LCC’s Information Centre was given a complete makeover during summer 2022, and renovations for LCC’s Reception area were completed during the 2022 winter break.
New, contemporary furniture, a more user-friendly layout and the installation of interactive screens are just a few of the upgrades the space has received – with both students and staff benefiting from the improvements.
Plans to revamp the space came about following the pandemic, which saw many in-person services such as letter requests, enrolment queries and admission enquiries, become online services.
The redesign was undertaken to reflect the shift in the delivery method of work and to create an interactive digital space. The contemporary design was created following consultation with current students and various stakeholders.
The new space also includes a wellbeing room, as well as an inviting open plan waiting area for visitors.
Lime Grove
2023 sees a new chapter in the history of our Lime Grove site. Formerly one of the 6 LCF Colleges, the historic site is now home to all pre-degree studies at UAL, with 2 courses based there for this year and the rest to follow in 2024/25.
Renovations include:
- Re-painting throughout the interior of the building to freshen the space
- Installing new flooring throughout the main staircase
- Replacing the furniture in the garden and painting the decking
- Introducing new wayfinding throughout the site to aid new students and staff
- Introducing an accessible toilet facility, ensuring that wheelchair users have easy access to an accessible restroom
- Installing new Audio-Visual (AV) systems into the classrooms which will provide seamless connectivity and allow for improved collaboration and interactivity.