Client:
Key Points
BREEAM Outstanding certification
Part of the wider Greenwich Regeneration
5,500 sq m campus
Phased live campus delivery
The former Greenwich Campus of London South East Colleges was characterised by poor building condition, large obsolete areas and an inefficient layout that limited its potential.
Positioned on the main route between Woolwich and Plumstead, the site forms part of a wider regeneration masterplan including new residential development and enhanced public realm. Our brief was to design a new college facility while carefully phasing demolition and construction so that the College could remain operational throughout.
The proposals redefine the site as a coherent urban block along Plumstead Road. While the college and residential elements are clearly distinguished through their form and massing, they are unified by an active plinth of non residential uses that animate the streetscape.
From the outset, it was agreed that the college should take visual prominence, reinforcing its civic presence within the borough. A new street between the residential plots and the college is lined with entrances, ground floor homes and active learning spaces, strengthening the College’s connection to its surroundings and replacing the former introspective character of the site.
Working hand in hand with the College’s curriculum and timetable team, we analysed the utilisation of the existing 10,000 sq m estate. By aligning timetable data with condition surveys, we developed a strategy to deliver a modern and flexible replacement facility of approximately 6,000 sq m while increasing the number of Guided Learning Hours.
The new college is arranged as two principal blocks, vertically divided by expressive stair cores. Grey brickwork is complemented by aluminium feature surrounds to windows, the main entrance and articulated corners, creating a confident civic identity along Plumstead Road.
The main entrance addresses the primary pedestrian route, leading into an open ground floor with café, student support services and generous breakout areas for informal study and collaboration. A Learning Resource Centre and theatre occupy the first floor, with teaching accommodation located above.
A central open atrium and create strong visual connections between floors, encouraging movement and interaction while maintaining clear, legible circulation throughout.
The new campus is conceived as a leading focus for digital technologies, aligned with the ambitions of Future Greenwich and the Mayor’s Smart City Strategy.
Sustainability has underpinned the project from inception, targeting and achieving BREEAM Outstanding certification, believed to be the first further education college building in the UK to reach this level.
Environmental strategies include rooftop air source heat pumps, an efficient ambient loop heating and cooling system, photovoltaic panels and a solar green roofing system. Together with a high performance building fabric, these measures significantly reduce operational carbon and create a healthy, future ready learning environment.
The result is a contemporary, flexible and highly sustainable campus that strengthens the civic presence of London South East Colleges and provides a lasting asset for students, staff and the wider Greenwich community.
