Retrofit is at the heart of a new chapter in the story of London’s urban development—one defined by bold new visions for age-old civic icons. At London Metropolitan University’s Holloway Road Campus, that story is playing out in real time.
Since 2022, we’ve acted as a strategic partner to London Metropolitan University, helping them to unpick a century of ad-hoc growth at their Holloway Road Campus to create a cohesive whole.
The result is a campus that speaks a bold, unified visual language reflecting the diversity of its student base, re-establishing the university as an inviting civic asset at the heart of one of London’s busiest roads.
Different scales—one vision
The interventions range in scale, from surgical internal edits to significant retention— drawing on the expertise of our architects, interior designers, and graphic designers. Each project follows the same principles: cutting carbon, championing culture and identity, working with the existing structure, and repositioning the asset to benefit the wider campus.
Together, they form the beats of a new architectural narrative for the university—an identity that reflects its forward-thinking ethos, while creating an inviting, iconic environment for students, staff, and the wider community.
An evolutionary estate
As a trusted advisor to London Metropolitan University, we’ve built an in-depth understanding of the campus, its people, and its ambition — unpicking and rethinking how space works holistically, without significant disruption to ongoing operations.
Andrew Turmeau, Senior Associate Architect
Cutting carbon, not corners
By repurposing instead of replacing materials, embodied carbon across the campus has been drastically reduced.
And, by avoiding extensive new construction and lowering the energy demand of each building, the renewed campus will also bring the university closer to its Net Zero target, with the Skills & Simulation Suite and the Heart of the Campus achieving SKA Silver.
Championing culture and identity
Resisting the pull of higher education minimalism, the interiors are bold and expressive across all projects. They form the beats of a new architectural narrative—one that reflects the diversity of London Met’s student body. From the sunburst motifs at the café to the Art Nouveau tiling in the nursing school, the design is deeply rooted in local iconography.
Benefiting the local community
Reimagining each asset also created opportunities for wider community benefits. The new Skills & Simulation suite, which benefits students studying our nursing and other health sciences courses for example, is more than just a teaching environment: it also provides local residents with access to patient-facing clinics—a vital service at a time when the NHS is under immense pressure.
Meanwhile, the upcoming Gateway will turn a once-closed institution into an open invitation. It is a civic asset that enriches student life while serving the neighbours who walk by every day.
Working in an active environment
Unlocking the potential of dated buildings is one challenge, but doing so without disrupting the client’s entire operation is another.
Through meticulous planning, deep consultation with the client and end users, and close collaboration with the wider project team, we’ve ensured that all sites remain largely operational during construction, quietly transforming the landscape while preserving the original buildings’ value, and the rhythm of daily life.
A model for ageing estates
In reworking an asset’s past, you reimagine its future. Through thoughtful interventions, we are showing you can preserve the heritage of existing assets, meet today’s occupier needs, and prepare for the demands of future generations.
Find out how we’ve helped other clients make sense of complex estates and ageing buildings here.
