Change often takes hold most effectively with an open heart. So, when the Heart of the Campus officially opened at London Metropolitan University’s Holloway Road site in March, the message was clear: change has arrived.
Playful, and on the pulse
Central to the University’s drive to wake up its tired assets, the Heart of the Campus has injected verve back into a space that had become defined by its claustrophobic café and old-school mezzanine.
Taking its cues from its home in the leafy borough of Islington, its diverse student community, and the New London Fabulous movement, it’s a retrofit that brings reams of colour and bags of energy.
The Heart of the Campus is already proving a popular social hub, serving up to 100 students at a time as they grab a coffee, take a beat, or enjoy a moment with friends—their days officially brightened.
“Additions like this really do make campus life feel more enjoyable, and it’s great seeing more spaces where students can recharge, connect, and just enjoy being part of the university community.”
Rajjo, Student Union President
The entrance of a new phase
The Heart of the Campus establishes a singular visual language—always playful, ever welcoming, never overwhelming. That conversation is soon to expand, with planning approval granted this March for a new Campus Gateway.
Sitting directly below the Heart of the Campus, the entrance’s lobby will carry forward its bold colours, geometric graphics, and tactile warmth. Structurally, it’ll open up the existing bottleneck, removing the first floor of the Holloway tower to create a welcoming double-height lobby that can handle students at peak flow.
An evolving trust
Since 2022, our London studio has acted as a strategic partner to London Met, unpicking over a century of ad-hoc growth at its Holloway Road campus to create a cohesive whole.
The scale of this transformation is best seen in the projects that bookend it. In 2023, we completed the Skills and Simulation Suite, transforming a 1960s glass factory into an immersive, Art Nouveau-inspired nursing school—simultaneously high-tech and deeply rooted in local context.
Looking ahead, the focus will shift to the Holloway Tower. This prominent Brutalist landmark will undergo a deep retrofit, breathing new life into the campus’s most visible icon while strictly adhering to the University’s Net Zero 2030 goals.
“Through years of close collaboration with London Met, we’ve been able to build an in-depth understanding of the campus, its people, and its ambition. Today, that’s helping us to shape the space holistically, so that it works better for all.”
Andrew Turmeau, Senior Associate Architect
Ultimately, these interventions are designed to benefit the borough beyond the campus boundary—resulting in a place that both enriches student life and extends a warm invitation to all who walk by.
Feeling fabulous? Find out more about the Heart of the Campus here.
