NLA Think Tank on Higher Education

On 25 June, Nicholas Hare Architects co-hosted a New London Architecture Think Tank on Higher Education which brought together key stakeholders including policy makers, higher education institutions, local authorities, other architects and planning experts.

The roundtable discussion determined that the ability of London's Higher Education establishments to compete on the world stage is being hampered by the capital's housing crisis, but that they can continue to draw the best students from around the globe if HE bodies concentrate on placemaking, creating a buzz and marketing the total picture of studying in such a diverse world city.

Carol Lelliott, one of our partners, began with the notion that social media is now opening up the whole education experience, allowing students a more accurate picture of where they might study. The emphasis is now much more on environments, said Lelliott, not just about the 'shiny new laboratories' or the excellence of institutions, but about the ability students might have to interact with their peers both in the learning environment and into their prospective living accommodation.