Culture, Context & Campus
HLM Architects
Sustainable Architecture, Interiors, Landscapes and Masterplanning practice with a Thoughtful Design ethos at its heart
The ‘sticky campus’ has become a common expression to describe the ambition of many University’s to provide an environment that attracts and retains student presence on campus. Underpinning this is the belief that the student experience is significantly improved by socialisation, that health and wellbeing and education outcomes are all enhanced through social learning.??
Creating this attractive environment for students and staff is fundamental to the success of a University. This is the key challenge for estates teams who also grapple with planning challenges around the physical condition of the estate and the institution’s environmental sustainability goals, as well as keeping pace with changes in pedagogy and digital technology. Under constant pressure to maintain the estate, these immediate pressures can sometimes override a really important factor that defines the university experience: how the campus makes us feel.
Space defines the culture of an organisation. The campus environment sets the tone and speaks to us about how inclusive and egalitarian an institution is and wants to be. It tells us what the institutions priorities are, whether its vision resides in a prospectus or in the fabric of its facilities. For many alumni, University retains a special place in our hearts long after we have attended them.?There is little doubt that this is in large part due to the sense of place and belonging that the campus engenders. Consequently, considering the emotional response to the environment should not be underestimated.
It is not only the ‘student experience’ that should be regarded in developing the campus. The campus also speaks to it’s context – the towns and cities where an institution resides. So while Universities may have international reputations and ambitions, they also have a civic role to play. Accessibility, safety, and amenity for support staff who are often drawn from an institution’s local communities needs to be considered. What, for example, is the experience of the campus for facilities maintenance staff who work unsociable hours??
Our mantra is, ’Thoughtful design to make better places for people.’ It is this prioritisation of people in the built environment that sets us apart. To support this outlook we have developed tools and processes that keep pulling us back to what’s really important: the human experience. We seek the emotional intelligence behind the brief for the physical estate.?
We focus on evolving a contextual response that enhances the character of a place, that sets the tone for future conversations between the campus and those who inhabit it.
University of Glasgow, James McCune Smith Learning Hub
The new learning and teaching hub, which forms the initial phase of this expansion programme, creates a signature gateway building at the heart of the expanded Campus.
Sitting at the heart of a conservation area, the new hub which is based on active learning pedagogies, will provide state of the art learning and teaching facilities for over 2,500 students in a highly sustainable BREEAM Excellent building. The design was inspired and driven by user consultation at every level, emphasising the student experience to provide an environment that is open and accessible for all.
“HLM have been both inspirational and innovative but have at all times tempered that with an understanding that the space needs to be practical for end users and ultimately delivered within programme and budget...What set HLM apart is their positive attitude and their desire to build collaborative working relationships and the exhcange of ideas.” Nicola Cameron, Assistant Director of Estates, Glasgow University
Sheffield Hallam University, Heart of the Campus
The Heart of the Campus scheme is a sensitive response to creating a modern teaching and learning environment in a conservation area.?Working closely with the local conservation groups, planning and the University’s estate team, HLM developed a design that responds to the site’s many frontages, rationalised the complex site levels, simplified movement through the campus and created a literal and metaphorical Heart of the Campus.
“The environment and facilities in the heart of the campus make learning in campus a much better experience... Instead of old dark rooms I’ve got fresh, light teaching spaces, bright social study locations and brilliant specialist Psychology labs to inspire and enable me to learn.?I love it.”
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Laura Wray, final year Psychology Student
Charles Huang Advanced Technology & Innovation Centre (CHATIC)
The CHATIC development comprises two new stand-alone buildings delivering a range of collaborative research facilities at the heart of Scotland’s first Innovation District.?At a total of 30,000 sqm these buildings will occupy a key role in cultivating and nurturing Scotland’s innovation community, helping bring together researchers, academic administrators, entrepreneurs, public and private investors, and many other key stakeholders.?
“The ambition is to create a ‘100% renewable Climate Neutral’ Glasgow Innovation District that integrates heat, power, transport, climate adaptation and well-being solutions that are socially inclusive.” Glasgow City Innovation District vision/objective
This article is a snippet from our new University Estates brochure, follow this link to download a copy and find out how we're making better places.
Find out more about how we work with Universities on strategic plans for the future of their estates and campuses, contact our Head of Education, Claire Wakelin.
Thoughtful design and the desire to make spaces and places that improve lives sits at the heart of everything we do.
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