Lancaster University Management School

Background

Lancaster University Management School (LUMS) is one of the largest and oldest business and management schools in the UK, accommodating roughly 34% of the university’s entire student population. Following the successful delivery of the West Pavilion extension in May 2021, attention turned to the second phase of the faculty’s transformation: the East Estate. Comprising the Gillow Quad and Gillow Wing, this 1970s development had become visually and functionally outdated compared to the modernised areas of the wider campus. LUMS required a cutting-edge environment that aligned with its vision of remaining a world-class teaching and research facility.

Our Role and Approach

Appointed by Conlon Construction, Cassidy + Ashton is delivering the architectural, planning, and design consultancy required to bring this ambitious refurbishment to life. Our approach is heavily collaborative; we undertook a comprehensive engagement programme with LUMS faculty and key stakeholders to agree upon strict accommodation schedules, critical adjacencies, and specialist requirements. By translating these needs into refined general arrangement plans and an exact D0 specification pack, we ensured the outcome is environmentally positive, wellbeing-centric, and highly efficient.

This project also builds on a rich heritage; Cassidy + Ashton designed the university’s renowned Chaplaincy Centre in 1969, and we are immensely proud to continue shaping this prestigious campus today.

The Design Brief and Scope of Work

The sweeping refurbishment introduces an array of high-class facilities tailored to modern business education. Our design incorporates a striking new double-height entrance on the eastern elevation and a single-storey link corridor that resolves horizontal access issues across the estate. Furthermore, an external timber canopy is being introduced within the internal quad.

Internally, the floor plates have been opened up at key nodes to maximise natural daylight and improve wayfinding. Floor A provides dynamic, centrally bookable teaching spaces, while Floors B and C house modernised cellular and shared professional offices. The redeveloped estate will also feature a state-of-the-art Bloomberg Suite for financial analytics teaching, an expanded PC lab suitable for electronic examinations, new careers zones, and a contemporary café.

Sustainability and Environmental Impact

A central goal of the redevelopment is to upgrade the East Estate’s environmental performance through a “fabric-first” approach. By opting to refurbish the existing structure rather than build from scratch, the project aligns strongly with the University’s sustainability goals, resulting in an estimated saving of 3,013 tonnes of CO2 equivalent over the building’s lifespan.

Additional environmental upgrades include an extensive green sedum roof on the new link corridor to boost biodiversity, the replacement of all existing windows with thermally broken aluminium systems, and enhanced insulation throughout the roof and external walls.

Delivering Value

Currently on-site and expected to complete in late 2025, the LUMS East Estate redevelopment guarantees a flexible, future-proofed facility that actively fosters student and staff collaboration. Through careful design and deep respect for the university’s heritage, Cassidy + Ashton has helped create a cohesive, inspiring identity for the Management School that will serve as a premier destination for business education globally.