Heart of the Campus, London Metropolitan University
Heart of the Campus is the kaleidoscopic, colour-soaked centrepiece of London Met’s regeneration strategy. Once a dark, cramped café and dated mezzanine, it’s now a joyful social hub that celebrates its community.
Bright, bold, and fabulous
Higher education spaces are increasingly favouring safe, corporate neutrality. London Met rejected that conformity — instead opting for inclusivity and exuberance. Taking cues from the New London Fabulous movement, the graphic language reflects London Met’s diverse student body, surrounding Islington home, and rich heritage.
Sunburst motifs and geometric patterns reference Holloway Road Tube station’s arched geometry, the adjacent Libeskind Graduate Centre’s angular lines, and the campuses William Morris sculpture. The warm, saturated colour palette nods to 60s and 70s graphic design, while oversized, exaggerated furniture — pop-art in spirit, student-proof in specification — juxtaposes the natural timber and tactile textures, creating a space that feels playful, without overwhelming.
Our students told us that they wanted a vibrant, joyful and welcoming space, and I’m proud to say that the Estates Department and our fantastic delivery partners have delivered that in quantity.
Matthew Brewster, Director of Estates
Unlocking the space
Unused and uncomfortable, the mezzanine had been taking up volume without adding value. Taking it down opened the space up — a crucial decision in making the café significantly more efficient, and significantly more loved. Natural light now floods the double-height café from above, drawing your eye from the checkerboard floor to the barrel-vaulted ceiling beyond.
The café and social lounge supports over 100 students across a range of hangout and study spots. The once-awkward forest of structural columns is now a series of comfortable nooks — with banquette seating and turquoise tiled planters that gently enclose the adjacent booths.
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, SU President
Setting a precedent
Heart of the Campus has achieved a SKA Silver rating, recognising its energy-efficient M&E systems, certified materials, low VOC materials, high-performance acoustics, and abundant natural light.
Not only does the space meet its functional and aesthetic requirements, it also prioritises the health of its future occupants — a mark of quality and a clear indicator of a project delivered with foresight and care.
The design language established here — the bold graphics, the considered geometry, the rejection of corporate neutrality — will carry through to subsequent projects, giving the London Met’s revitalised campus a coherent, confident identity as each phase completes.
