London South Bank Technical College - a £100 million further education facility in London’s Vauxhall delivered by Holmes Miller - was officially opened yesterday by Secretary of State for Education, Rt Hon Gillian Keegan MP.  

The new building was designed to offer a modern, high-quality environment that prioritises learning, mental health and wellbeing while ensuring future-proof flexibility and sustainability. Designed to be low-carbon in operation, the campus has achieved a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating.   

The new college will cater for over 2,500 full and part-time learners and was funded by the London Education Action Partnership (LEAP). By providing vital vocational and key skills training for the next generation of talent, it aims to help address the UK’s STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths) skills shortage crisis. 

The campus provides 10,000 sq m of educational space, including construction workshops, dental laboratories and TV recording studios, spread over ten storeys along with a wide range of formal, informal and social learning spaces, workshops, break-out areas and a café.  
 The striking exterior features a brickwork base, with curtain walling and pleated metal cladding above. Internally, a ‘digital spine’ - a series of stacked double-height spaces - spans all ten floors and is combined with a series of collaborative learning spaces supported by the latest technology.  

 Surrounding the building is a hard and soft landscaped public realm of raised planters and natural stone paving. 

‘The first comprehensive technical college to be built in a generation’

“This flagship project, as well as providing excellent educational facilities, has also become a landmark for the Nine Elms area thanks to its distinctive bronze anodised aluminium-clad tower.  The extensive use of glazing and large feature windows bring in generous natural daylight and expansive views that we hope will make the building a pleasure to learn in – it has certainly been rewarding to have played a key role in delivering it.”    Mariyam Afnida, Associate