University of Sussex

2,000 new student rooms supported by social facilities and a centralised student union

Client

The University of Sussex

Location

Falmer, UK

Status

On site

Discipline

Architecture

Sector

Student Residential

Size

2,200 student rooms

The addition of 2,200 student rooms to the campus of The University of Sussex in Falmer
The addition of 2,200 student rooms to the campus of The University of Sussex in Falmer
The addition of 2,200 student rooms to the campus of The University of Sussex in Falmer
The addition of 2,200 student rooms to the campus of The University of Sussex in Falmer

Solution

The University of Sussex, established in 1961, is one of the finest ‘plate glass’ universities from that era. In downlands near Brighton, the campus was designed by Sir Basil Spence in the 1960s and is now Grade I listed.

With the need to raise residential student numbers from 12,000 to 18,000, tp bennett was asked to provide over 2,000 new rooms – variously cluster flats and town houses – as well as supporting social facilities and a centralised student union. Reviving Spence’s masterplan, and using building forms and materials that echoed his acclaimed campus, the practice devised a scheme based around four hubs, each containing study rooms, shops and social spaces.