Associated with the co-operative movement and supported by leading Victorian social reformers and intellectuals, the Working Men’s College in Camden is one of the oldest providers of adult education in Europe. It is housed in a 1904 Grade II-listed red-brick building design by W.D. Caroe.
Over the years, after a number of earlier extensions and adaptations the building suffers from poor ventilation and prone to overheating. A rather prosaic brief to mitigate this offered a very special opportunity. Phase one of works to the college looked at a new mixed-mode ventilation system which we introduced with consulting engineers Brinson Staniland Partnership. Reading as a visible, almost brutal, intervention against the ornate finishes of the building, executed with deliberateness and repetition. Cool air is extracted through the staircases at roof level and drawn through the corridors, where it feeds into each classroom. The air is then exhausted through the façade in extract units located in the old coal fire ventilation grilles. Secondary glazing to the south-facing façade creates a thermal buffer, sandwiched with a reflective roller blind to help minimise the effects of solar gain.
In addition to the heating and ventilation works, we have been assisting the college in securing funding for further alterations to make the existing spaces more relevant to delivering 21st century courses and education for adults. The next phase of these works was to transform a disused basement space into a new Open Learning Centre.
Phase 3 works has been the refurbishment of the Grade II listed library. The library is a much loved heart of the College. Away from the hustle and bustle of the all the different classrooms – teaching everything from pottery to fashion, creative writing and acting – the library is a calm oasis for the students to find sanctuary. The vision for the library was to retain and enhance the interior by stripping away much of the visual clutter and unsympathetic additions. This clean palette creates a sense of calm and a moment of respite for learning.
