The Kingston University’s Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture is recognised as one of the best art and design schools in the teaching and research world. In order to maintain this world reputation the facilities have been subjected to a major upgrade and extension to provide over 10000sqm of refurbished creative space.

A significant proportion of the redesign was devoted to a much-needed untangling and rethinking of how space is used within the school. Courses have been rejoined and grouped by mutual requirements leading to workshops and studio spaces being open for creative exploration and allowing students and staff to share ideas. The building is now a ‘layer cake’ of creative production with the ground floor housing a vast 3D workshop, the first floor a 2D workshop and the layers above providing lively home studios for design courses, with views across Kingston.

The most significant element of the comprehensive overhaul was the 1970s Mill Street Building, which has gone largely untouched since it was built and much of the internal building fabric had reached the end of its life. All services have been replaced and upgraded to the latest energy efficiency standards, works were completed in a phased approach whilst the building remained fully operational.

The project achieved BREEAM Outstanding and delivered a 52% reduction in operational carbon emissions. Fabric enhancements included replacing patent glazing with a new high-performance glazing system, increased insulation and airtightness and the complete replacement of 50-year-old heating and ventilation systems.

Read more in AJ Magazine: ‘Students demand sustainability’ – Haworth Tompkins’ deep retrofit of Kingston School of Art

BREEAM Outstanding

NLA Awards – Highly Commended, Mayor’s Prize for Circular Design
AJ Retrofit Award 2021 – Winner
BREEAM Awards 2021, Public Sector Project: Post Construction – Winner

Images supplied by Philip Vile & Haworth Tompkins

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