New St George's Accommodation and Student Centre

Artist's impression of the Georgian frontage

Building work has begun on the University’s new accommodation and student centre close to the Canterbury Campus in St George’s Place.

It will comprise 204 single, ensuite student bedrooms and 10 three-bedroom family houses around a landscaped outdoor area.

Designed to give a strong urban street frontage onto St George’s Place, consistent with the historical pattern of the 1800s, the Centre will be built from reconstituted stone and will reinforce a more direct relationship with the existing Georgian properties in the area. The Dover Street frontage will follow the established street pattern with low eaves and steeply pitched roofs with chimneys, reflecting the traditional family home.

Example of a moveable booth

There will be a series of courtyards between the main buildings fronting St George’s Place and Dover Street, providing interesting and high quality landscaped access through to the student accommodation.

The ground floor of the building will also host a Student Centre with a lounge bar, internet cafe and office space for the student sabbatical officers.

Combination of book shelves and blackboards give an arts cafe feel

 

The reception area and study zone will be bright and contemporary with a strong focus on colour, creating a vibrant student hub. There will be mobile privacy screens to create a flexible and comfortable space. A student wall welcoming ideas and feedback, together with vending machines and ATM will confirm the casual, relaxed experience.

The Lounge area will have a ‘Boston’ style sports bar theme, with sports news streamed throughout the day on various screens across the venue. It will have an industrial downtown feel, with rusty metal pillars, wooden flooring, reconstituted stone feature wall and retro industrial lighting. A long stainless steel bar will complete the ambience and the moveable booths will give flexibility for an entertainment venue as well as comfortable lounge.

“Boston” Style Sports Bar with interesting bar back bar design housing TV screens

It will be managed with wardens and 24-hour security.

The Centre is due to open in 2012.

More Canterbury accommodation can be found on the accommodation pages.