Southwark College is a highly rated further education college established in the early 1990s with the merger of several existing institutions. Its undistinguished 1970s buildings were in a generally poor condition. A review of its estate launched in 2012, in consultation with students and staff, led to a masterplan for its renewal, developed through discussion with Southwark Council and the local community, that took into account the limited funding available at the time. The plan included the re-establishment of a through route across the site along the line of a long-closed street and the creation of a new public pocket park, a precious asset in a densely built-up area.

The project was led by GTH Architects in collaboration with Platform 5 Architects. The first phase of the renewal, which was constrained by the scarcity of funding, focused on the refurbishment of the 1970s block on The Cut. Carried out in 2015, it offered a more accessible entrance for the college and a reception area leading to the impressive new central atrium, the heart of the college, containing a landmark spiral staircase - painted bright red - flexible learning spaces and a café, all set under a sawtooth roof that channels in generous yet controlled daylight. The renewed building mediates in scale and materials between the low-rise Young Vic and the highly expressive Palestra building.

The second phase of the project, which opened in 2017, created 7,500 square metres of new space for the college, demolishing the existing, largely two-storey buildings and replacing them with blocks of between five and seven storeys housing specialist departments, including dance, drama, music, digital media and science laboratories. The buildings wrap around the atrium, highlighting the themes of transparent learning, participation and community that are central to the college's work. The entire - radical - renewal of the site took place without interrupting its teaching.

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