The refurbishment features a mix of dedicated and shared workspaces, individual academic offices, and larger shared PhD areas. We explored alternative ways of working, prioritising small meeting rooms, tea points, and social spaces to encourage students and staff to return to campus.

Collaborating closely with EDEN (a proactive centre for academic staff development, curriculum enrichment, and digital innovation), we created spaces that support LSE’s preferred teaching methods through furniture and AV solutions, fostering inclusive and adaptable environments to enhance the student experience.

The calm, neutral workspace design allows the building’s character to shine through while offering flexibility for academics to personalise their environments with artwork and books related to their research.

Each space is carefully crafted to meet the unique requirements of its users whilst complementing the distinctive character of each space in the building. Further small interventions embrace the nooks of the existing building to create bespoke breakout and rest spaces outside of busy teaching corridors.

Strategic colour use enables these meeting spaces to become focal points and cultivate a sense of ‘home’ for each academic department. These common rooms have been highly successful and are heavily used.