21 June 2017
The Islington Planning committee unanimously approved our scheme for the refurbishment and extension of the J Block Learning and Teaching Building at London Metropolitan University’s Holloway Road campus. This constitutes a key component of the University’s masterplan, developed by the practice.
London Met plans to transform the existing two-storey J Block Building with the addition of a two-storey extension to almost the full footprint of the building; this extension increases the density of accommodation which is critical in allowing for the creation of a large new public realm space at the heart of the campus. The design approach taken to the two-storey extension has been to interpret the existing building in a contemporary way. This helps tie the new and old together so you read the completed building as a whole. The approach to the extension also defines an architectural strategy that can be used as further phases of the masterplan are developed. This will help create a greater coherence to the campus as a whole.
The planning department were hugely complementary in their report on the scheme:
The design of the proposal is high quality and subject to satisfactory materials and detailing will deliver an interesting and positive scheme on site… an improved learning environment, a high quality contextual design and improved sustainability, energy efficiency and accessibility.The Islington Planning Committee
The project is due to go onsite early 2018.