AHMM is preparing plans for a significant redevelopment of the London Metropolitan University’s School of Architecture site in Aldgate, which involves transforming the site into a mixed-use scheme centred around a striking 22-storey student accommodation tower. The project focuses on the Calcutta House plot on the city’s eastern edge, covering half a hectare and currently occupied by a dense cluster of buildings, including the university’s architecture and design school, formerly known as The Cass. The proposals include retaining and enhancing parts of the educational provision on the site while adding new residential, retail, and community spaces.

This redevelopment marks a renewed transformation effort after the university previously abandoned relocation plans for its architecture school following resistance from students and staff six years ago. The new plans envision extending Calcutta House by two additional storeys, culminating in an eight-storey academic building offering approximately 10,600 square metres of modernised education space. However, it remains unclear whether London Metropolitan University will continue to occupy this enhanced educational facility once the project is complete. Meanwhile, the southern section of the site would make way for the 22-storey tower providing 787 student bedrooms, alongside other buildings dedicated to retail and community use. The existing basements under Calcutta House would be retained, with further excavation beneath new construction to accommodate necessary plant infrastructure. A team including Montagu Evans and Cityscape Digital is contributing expertise on heritage, townscape, and visualisation, alongside environmental assessments from Trium.

These redevelopment plans coincide with London Metropolitan University's broader strategy to decentralise and modernise its School of Art, Architecture and Design, which is set to relocate by the 2025/26 academic year to new facilities in Shoreditch, Holloway, and Aldgate. This relocation forms part of a wider estates strategy aiming to consolidate and improve the university's campus footprint, including a significant new masterplan by Design Engine Architects. The masterplan focuses on creating more legible, urban-facing environments and specialist hubs of facilities, such as a central public courtyard and the transfer of the Sir John Cass Faculty of Art, Architecture and Design to Islington. The new sites are designed to feature cutting-edge studios, bespoke teaching spaces, and workshops, developed through close collaboration with students, staff, and professional partners.

London Metropolitan University’s strategy reflects a determination to fuse education with modern industry standards and better integrate with the urban fabric. The moves to Shoreditch, Holloway, Aldgate, and Islington collectively support this vision by replacing outdated facilities with contemporary environments tailored to optimise learning and professional preparation. The school’s architecture courses continue to thrive during this transition, with programmes such as the BA (Hons) Architecture (Top-Up) degree helping students build architectural expertise. These academic offerings benefit from access to extensive technical resources, workshops, and specialist staff, underpinning the university's commitment to a vibrant, practical educational experience.

While AHMM’s plans for the Aldgate site propose a substantial student accommodation tower and commercial spaces that may support the wider university community, the exact future use of the new education areas remains open. The proposals indicate an evolving relationship between London Metropolitan University and its Aldgate footprint, reflecting trends in urban university estates management to balance educational provision, student living needs, and commercial development potential. The university has not yet provided formal comment on the redevelopment plans. Nonetheless, the evolving estate strategy signals a period of significant change and opportunity for London Met’s architecture and design disciplines as they move towards state-of-the-art facilities across London.

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Source: Noah Wire Services