Collaborative journey for campus redesign

Our collaboration with BHASVIC began with the development of a phased masterplan strategy, outlining how the college could expand and update its campus over a ten to twenty-year period. We have successfully designed and delivered the initial first two phases and are currently focusing on the realisation of Phase 3.

The first phase, widely known as the ‘Copper Building’ consisted of a new three-storey building, incorporating a new Learning Resource Centre and a Student Social Learning space. The facilities are encased within a red brick and glazed envelope, with the building’s front and rear elevations wrapped in striking copper cladding, enhancing the college’s prominent civic identity. The ground floor’s foldable glazed façade connects the student social learning space to a has a foldable glazed façade, new private courtyard and central external social area, which is provides a landscaped environment for ideal for student interaction.

The second phase, known as the ‘Elms Building’, replaced unsightly temporary teaching accommodation with an exemplary, state-of-the-art and much-needed new teaching facility. The high-quality design is sympathetic and complimentary to the historic corner ‘main building’ and creates a positive impact upon the elm tree lined Old Shoreham Road’s street scene.

The Elms Building delivers on the colleges’ vision to create a Contemporary Creative Learning Community with first-class facilities at the heart of the college experience. Not only does it provide much needed additional teaching and specialist floor space, including STEM laboratories, a recording studio and a media 'Green Room'. The building also creates an external performance space within a new calming and shaded courtyard, further enhancing the overall campus environment for students.

Built in 1912, the adjacent main BHASVIC building is a Locally Listed Heritage Asset – a local landmark in the area, it is located on a prominent corner with an imposing façade and topped with a copper cupola. The Elms Building is a complimentary contemporary addition that draws on the main building through brick selection, proportions and geometry and also the use of metalwork. Its scale, materiality and aesthetic harmoniously align with the Copper Building on the opposite side of the campus, creating unity across the masterplan and provides historical legibility and a clear hierarchy in presence.

Phase 3 consists of a new three storey ‘Student Building’ which will consolidate the existing Student Services, Additional Learning Support and Library areas, and provide additional General Teaching accommodation to allow for all the temporary teaching ‘huts’ to be permanently removed from the campus.

Both the Copper and Elms buildings achieve ‘BREEAM’ excellent ratings and are designed to be highly sustainable, flexible in use, and deliver a first-class student experience.