Open to all students and staff, the old library space on the ground floor of St Thomas’s House, Waterloo, has been newly refurbished and transformed into a hub facility complete with its own café and library.
The new Hub, which is yet to be formally named, is a large informal, flexible social space offering a place to study, work, socialise and rest. The Hub has been designed to offer a sanctuary from the busy hospital environment and includes a range of quiet spaces for both collaborative and individual use, including a reference library of specifically curated healthcare publications. Complete with a café serving hot and cold food and drink, the Hub provides much needed respite for students and staff based at the Hospital and campus.
The space has been repurposed after becoming outdated and utilised, with double height ceilings and beautiful surrounding architecture. This was a key drive for the design of the project which has been finished and furnished using sustainable materials, such as fabrics made from natural fibres and carbon neutral flooring.
For example, the new furniture has been made from sustainable and durable materials, and fitted in a way that enables it to be reused in alternative spaces in the future. Bookshelves and accessible toilet fittings from the previous library have been cleaned up and reused in the new space; the existing traditional panelling has been restored, giving it a new lease of life whilst retaining the heritage look and feel.
The investment in the new Hub draws on a range of interviews undertaken with students and staff representatives, and responds to the evolution of the education and pedagogic experience at King’s.
Nick O’Donnell, Director of Estates & Facilities said:
The project was led by Estates and Facilities in collaboration with the Health schools, Libraries & Collections and partners from St Thomas’.
The space is now open and can be accessed using the King’s ID card. It is open to students 24/7, subject to bank holidays and Christmas closure days. The café space is open 08:00 - 16:00, Monday to Friday.
For more information on the project design, visit the iDEA page.