Sustainable central London transformation for leading research institute

Character preservation paves the way for transformative research facility in central London with increased capacity. King's College London's South West and Quadrangle Buildings are now a modern environment for learning.

Project partners

  • Turner & Townsend
  • 3PM
  • AECOM
  • Hall McKnight

Project description

King's College London's refurbishment spanned both the South West Building (SWB) and the Quadrangle Building (Quad). Both buildings, with their rich heritage, demanded meticulous attention to detail to preserve their character. The SWB's two basement levels and the Quad, located two levels below the quadrangle courtyard, were stripped back to shell and core. This process involved extensive demolition and asbestos removal to reveal the exposed brickwork. The reimagined space allows the university, having outgrown their existing space, to increase student numbers into the school.

Logistically sustainable

During the South West Building's refurbishment, sustainability took centre stage. The 100-year-old building's concrete slab was repurposed on-site and used as hardcore for the foundations of the statement concrete spiral staircase. This strategic move minimised waste and lowered CO₂ emissions, aligning with the targeted SKA Gold rating. Logistics played a crucial role in ensuring we minimised disruption while working on a live university campus. We installed ramps and a platform lift to enhance accessibility and careful planning ensured the project did not affect teaching within the building. Notably, we used temporary soundproof partitions around teaching spaces to mitigate disruption. Weekly client meetings and site walks were also introduced to communicate the projects progress.

Ready for the start of term

King's College London's project includes the installation of new AV services including new moveable screens, speakers and microphones to enhance the learning experience. A new induction loop has also been installed to the open teaching spaces making learning accessible to all. The final touch involved careful planning to ensure the project's completion aligned with the start of the new academic term in September. Furniture orders were included in the program, ensuring that both the SWB and Quad spaces were ready to welcome students promptly.

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