Following the completion of a masterplan study which revealed a deficit in academic spaces to accommodate the current and growing student population. Pascall+Watson were commissioned with the critical challenge of expanding and refurbishing Kingston University’s Knights Park Campus, home to the Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture.  

Our approach included infilling the courtyard at the heart of the campus, creating a central core for the Learning Resources Centre (LRC) while remodelling the external quadrangle courtyard establishing visual connections with the atrium, reinforcing its position as the focal point of the scheme. 

This solution provided contemporary learning facilities tailored to new generations of students, maximising existing space and improving both aesthetics and functionality. 

The works were strategically planned to coincide with the university’s summer break, minimising disruption to students and staff, while maintaining the project delivery timelines.  

Mixed mode ventilation, rooftop photovoltaic panels, solar thermal collectors and a rainwater harvesting system have been carefully integrated into the scheme. The remodeled LRC promoted flexibility in contemporary learning environments, significantly improving thermal efficiency and energy performance. With an approximate 30% reduction in running costs, interdepartmental collaboration rose as students from various disciplines converged on this shared space.