Archinect - News

Herzog & de Meuron's new Royal College of Art Battersea Campus opens to the public

2022-05-23T17:49:00-04:00

Big news today as Herzog & de Meuron’s anticipated expansion of the Royal College of Art has officially opened in the Battersea district of London.

Characterized by a fusion of seven separate facilities into one combined structure, the new £135 million ($169 million) complex entails the creation of new social and educational spaces for the Sculpture, Contemporary Art Practice, and Moving Image departments as well as for the RCA’s School of Design.

Photo: Iwan Baan, image courtesy Royal College of Art

The 15,500-square-meter (167,000-square-foot) campus also sought to aid the shift in the 185-year-old institution's postgraduate offerings towards a more strengthened set of STEAM programs, which is seen in the addition of a new tech-centric eight-story research center, robotics hangar, and a center for enterprise, entrepreneurship, incubation and business support called InnovationRCA.

Photo: Iwan Baan, image courtesy Royal College of Art

Writing in the Guardian today, critic Oliver Wain...

Herzog & de Meuron's $153 million Royal College of Art expansion receives council approval

2018-01-30T16:16:00-05:00

The Royal College of Art’s flagship new building, designed by Herzog & de Meuron, has been granted planning permission by Wandsworth Council. The building is part of a £108m investment programme in the RCA – the most radical transformation of the institution’s campus in its 181-year history.

The RCA Battersea South Campus expansion will be the new home of the school's Arts & Humanities programs (Sculpture and Contemporary Art Practice), Design programs (Design Products, Fashion and Textiles), Global Innovation Design and Innovation Design Engineering (delivered jointly with Imperial College London), and new additional programs focusing on computer and material science, wearable technology, robotics, advanced manufacturing, and intelligent mobility.

The College expects work on the site to commence in spring 2018 and reach completion in April 2020, just in time for the 2020/21 academic year.

Previously on Archinect.

Royal College of Art submits Herzog & de Meuron's designs for its new Battersea South Campus to London city council

2017-11-03T13:43:00-04:00

The Royal College of Art (RCA) has submitted proposals to Wandsworth Council for a £108 million state-of-the art building for postgraduate students and entrepreneurs, which will secure the RCA’s future in Battersea and deliver new studios, workshops and incubator units required to support its future growth.

Exactly one year ago, Herzog & de Meuron was announced as the competition-winning architects for the Royal College of Art's new £108 million Battersea South campus. The project, sitting adjacent to RCA's existing Dyson, Woo and Sackler Buildings, reached another milestone this week with the College submitting the proposed designs to Wandsworth Council.

This week's picks for London architecture and design events

2017-01-30T14:57:00-05:00

This week is a chance to be inspired by the future, instead of getting caught up in the current climate. Talks and exhibitions focus on the potential found in the next generation of designers and of the possibilities created through new technology and new eyes, whilst exhibitions look at how we become who we are both personally and politically.

Check back regularly to keep up to date with London's latest happenings and our weekly recommendations!

Royal Gold Medal Week: Life by Design London | 3 February

Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust Centre, Image: Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust

As part of the RIBA Gold Medal week, make sure you get to this inspiring talk from leaders in the design world. Chaired by BBC's Razia Iqbal, the speakers will introduce their careers and work to the audience, discussing their inspirations and paths taken on their design journey. The session promises to pass on advice and an exciting spark to the next generation of architects and designers.

Work in Progress...

Royal College of Art announces Adrian Lahoud as new dean of architecture

2015-12-17T12:00:00-05:00

The Royal College of Art has announced the appointment of Dr Adrian Lahoud as Dean of the School of Architecture. Currently Head of the Architecture programme, Dr Lahoud joined the College in September 2015. Previously he led the MArch in Urban Design at The Bartlett, University College London. [...] The appointment represents the conclusion of an international search. Dr Lahoud will take up his new position in January 2016.