Stanton Williams’ design for the new University of the Arts London campus for Central Saint Martins at King’s Cross unites the college’s activities under one roof for the first time. It provides CSM with a substantial new building, connected at its southern end to the Grade II listed Granary Building, a rugged survivor of the area’s industrial past. The result is a state-of-the-art facility that not only functions as a practical solution to the college’s needs but also aims to stimulate creativity, dialogue and student collaboration.
The lecture will reflect on the design considerations that led to the creation of this stage for transformation – a framework of flexible spaces that can change over time to invoke new interactions and interventions.
Paul Williams formed the partnership Stanton Williams with Alan Stanton in 1985. As founding directors they have been responsible for the creative direction of the practice since its inception. In November 2011, Stanton Williams were judged to have made the most significant contribution to British architecture over the past year and were presented with the BD Architect of the Year Award 2011 along with the title of Education Architect of the Year. Williams is actively involved with the concept and design development of many of the studio projects, including the UAL campus for Central Saint Martin’s at King’s Cross, Issey Miyake Shops and the Eton Manor site for the London Olympics. In 2005, he was awarded the title of Royal Designer (RDI) for sustained excellence in design throughout his career.
Photo © Hufton + Crow