Locksbrook Campus for Bath Spa

Bath Spa University's redevelopment of the former Herman Miller factory on Locksbrook Road has created a landmark academic facility for the Bath School of Art & Design (BSAD). Purchased by the University in 2016, the Grade II-listed building-originally designed by Nicholas Grimshaw-has been sensitively transformed into a contemporary centre for creativity, recognised through its RIBA Stirling Prize-winning design quality.

BSAD had previously operated across multiple dispersed sites in and around Bath. Consolidation into a single, purpose-designed location has established a strong, unified identity for the School and significantly improved the student experience by bringing studios, workshops, teaching spaces, and social areas together under one roof. The building's open, flexible layout lends itself to cross-disciplinary collaboration and reflects the original Herman Miller ethos of adaptable, democratic workspaces.

The project involved the complex refurbishment of a Grade II-listed industrial building situated within a dense urban setting. Its location-close to the Lower Bristol Road corridor and student residential areas such as Oldfield Park-helps integrate the School into the wider city and strengthens the connection between the University, local communities, and Bath's cultural landscape. As a former factory, the building also remains an important part of Bath's industrial heritage, and the redevelopment preserves its character while introducing modern teaching, making, and exhibition environments.

The cost management services associated with this project were undertaken by a member of our team during their previous employment. Responsibilities included developing and maintaining the cost plan for a highly serviced, heritage-listed refurbishment, advising on procurement and risk management, and supporting the client in balancing design ambitions with budgetary and heritage constraints.