Brampton Road, Carlisle

The project was awarded a £2.7m by the Higher Funding Council for England as a grant toward the much needed new facilities. The project involved the redevelopment of the existing teaching and learning spaces on the campus site, including new build, alteration work and the linking of existing buildings via the infill of various underused external spaces. The overall design successfully amalgamated a series of poorly functioning disparate buildings with new, enabling the campus to be effectively utilised and explored as a whole. The project was planned over a series of phases to allow for the campus to function effectively during a two and a half year construction period.

The new facilities included a new library, a new refectory serving over 1000 students and staff, three purpose built lecture theatres, a 200 seat flexible studio theatre a dance studio, digital recording and music facilities, and computer learning resource areas.

The new central library building with vaulted roof provides the central focal point for the scheme from which to navigate, using radically reorganised circulation routes alongside a series of new breakout spaces.

The studio theatre, now named ‘Stanwix Theatre’ is now regarded as a premier performance space for the city that is home to over 70 productions each year. All of the works alongside its updated visual appearance have provided a new image suited to a progressive arts institute.