King’s is delighted to announce that Hall McKnight have won the competition to redevelop the Quadrangle at King’s College London’s historic Strand Campus.
They fought off strong competition from Estudio Barozzi Veiga; Estudio Carme Pinos with Soto-Lay Architects; Eric Parry Architects; Henley Halebrown Rorrison and Zaha Hadid Architects. Hall McKnight’s submission was considered to be unique in playing to the strengths of the historic buildings surrounding the Quad.
The Strand Campus at King’s College London provides teaching and social space for some 9,000 students and 1,500 staff. The campus is home to the College’s Schools of Arts & Humanities, Social Science & Public Policy, Natural & Mathematical Sciences, Dickson Poon School of Law and Global Institutes & Centres.
Over the next five years King’s plans to add a further 2,600 students at this campus. The £20 million project to design and redevelop the Quad, including the buildings below it and the immediate surroundings, will provide an additional 3,700 square meters of teaching and student social space.
The selection of the architect was not solely based on the concept design, but on how well the design met the brief, how well the architects would work with the College’s extensive stakeholder groups and other considerations.
Ian Caldwell, Director of Estates & Facilities at King’s, said: ‘Hall McKnight had undertaken an impressive analysis of the site and presented a clear philosophy. By uncovering layers of the past, the architects showed a real engagement with the history of the buildings surrounding the Quad. The competition jury panel was impressed with Hall McKnight’s passion, intelligence, strategic sense and communicative ability.’
’I am confident that Hall McKnight will develop a detailed design and create an innovative learning and social space for King’s students, staff and the wider community.’
Hall McKnight commented: ‘We are delighted to emerge as the winners of this competition from among such a strong shortlist; it’s an ideal project for us. We enjoyed the process of developing our approach and engaging with such a considered brief that successfully articulated the views and aspirations of the staff and students at King’s. We look forward to developing the project with the university to transform the Quadrangle as a new focus for the Strand Campus without disrupting the special qualities inherent in this most distinctive of spaces in London.’
The College received over 100 first stage entries from firms around the world and shortlisted six excellent submissions. As part of the competition process, the six architectural concepts were showcased in Somerset House East Wing towards the end of August and students and staff were encouraged to feed back their views.The competition jury panel concluded that Hall McKnight’s concept enhanced the urban setting while at the same time providing greenery. Those who attended the Strand Quadrangle Architectural Competition Exhibition or viewed it online will recognise the selected firm’s design as Concept Design C.
One visitor commented, ‘It allows the existing King’s and Somerset House buildings to breathe and doesn’t introduce its own distinct style, but respects and connects what is there’.
Students have been involved in the Quad project since September 2011. In addition to KCLSU representation on the competition jury panel and project board, feedback from those students who attended workshops and focus groups or participated in the consultation blog informed the initial design brief.
In the next phase of the project, King’s will work with Hall McKnight to develop the concept in the context of the emerging master plan for the Strand Campus and it is anticipated that a design will be completed in Spring 2013. Students and staff will be invited to comment on the scheme before it is signed off. It is hoped that the Quad will be in use in the 2014-15 academic year.
The Strand Quadrangle Architectural Competition Exhibition is still available online and can be found on the College website.
An animation of a small boy breathing, created by acclaimed artist Dryden Goodwin in collaboration with King’s air pollution expert Professor Frank Kelly, will illuminate London’s Westminster skyline this month.
The School of Arts & Humanities at King’s launches its annual Arts & Humanities Festival in October, which this year explores the theme of Metamorphoses: Transformations and Conversions. A wide array of talks, performances, exhibitions and much more will be open to the public from 13 – 27 October.
