Skills & Simulation Suite, London Metropolitan University

A simulated hospital ward, intensive care unit, phlebotomy teaching area, paediatric ward, 360 degree VR suite, and various home environments are all designed to equip trainee nurses for real-world scenarios. 

These spaces are supported by prep areas and utility rooms to help technicians timetable more efficiently, maximising the number of students that can be taught in a term—and increasing the number of nurses entering the workforce.

Outside the simulation wards, flexible multi-use spaces host the university’s healthcare and human sciences subjects, encouraging connection between disciplines while giving students a comfortable home base.

To optimise the building’s 2,000 sqm floorplate, we removed existing partitions to create expansive, column-free teaching spaces.

A central ‘street’ runs through the plan to provide a hub for those teaching spaces, with breakout nooks and opportunities for spontaneous connection. Internal glazing floods the school with natural light, crediting a comfortable environment and a visual connection between spaces.

In homage to the iconic Holloway Road Tube Station, we incorporated British Art Nouveau inspired tiling and semi-circular architectural details. Key London Met brand colours accentuate the structure’s Y-shaped columns to emphasise the building’s industrial aesthetic, while bespoke joinery uplifts the corridor for a more interesting route throughout the building.

London Met collaborates with local organisations, particularly in Islington and the broader London area, helping both students and the local community benefit from patient-facing clinics, whether on campus, with partners, or during placements.

To support future growth, the nursing school will host 400 students, with plans to grow to 1,000 in five years. The future vision involves adding Physiotherapy (up to 200 students) and Occupational Therapy courses.