News

Students at the University of Arts London (UAL) have become among the first in the country to play a hands on roll in designing a brand new development at their own campus.

Tutors at UAL, which includes the London College of Communication (LCC) and Camberwell College of Arts (CCA) in Southwark, worked together with Alumno Developments, the company redeveloping the Hampton Street site, to create an accredited project aimed at third year interior design students. The coursework, which counted towards their final grade, encouraged the students to create design solutions for new social areas, including a common room and a public walkway.

The new college building at Hampton Street and Steedman Street in Southwark have been carefully chosen to fit into the local area and to regenerate an existing brownfield site that, in addition to providing affordable accommodation for over 220 students, will also improve amenities for local people and businesses.

Student input has involved producing models of potential solutions as well as conducting surveys and applying innovative spatial research techniques at the site. In addition to considering the budgetary requirements, the students were encouraged to develop their own brief and to think hard about creating ideas that would appeal to students both now, and in the future.

David Campbell, managing director at Alumno added: "There have been some absolutely excellent and creative designs from the young people at UAL. Their input has been invaluable and some of the designs created will form an important part of the next stage of the architectural process."

In addition to the new student and public areas, the development at Hampton Street will include a unique ‘incubation' workspace, run by the college, devoted to assisting artists, designers and other creative professionals looking to launch and run their own businesses. These workspaces will be available to UAL graduates, as well as other local businesses and community groups.