New Westminster student co-designed activity, gaming and social space opens on Marylebone Campus

The opportunity to co-design a real-life project on campus was made possible by the Quentin Hogg Trust (QHT) which provided funds for the winning design to come to life. This boosted the employability of the Interior Architecture students involved and enhanced student experience with The Hangout, which is available for all Westminster students to use.

In early 2022, Michael Wigg CEO of the University of Westminster Students’ Union, recommended that the old bookstore become part of the Marylebone Learning Platform social space project. On 30 January 2023 approximately 130 undergraduate and postgraduate Interior Architecture students took part in a one-day QHT-funded competition to design a new space. Working in mixed groups of four or five students, the groups were tasked with designing a social activity space. How they considered, interpreted or developed the brief was entirely up to them, as long as their designs promoted belonging, inclusion, student ownership, student interaction and community building.

Andrew Pitchford, Head of the Centre for Education and Teaching Innovation (CETI), said: “This is all part of our commitment to working in partnership with students across the activities of the University, enabling them to see their creativity manifested in many different ways. In this instance, our winning students have seen the process of design through from start to finish and can now see their peers enjoy a fantastic space that reflects their values and aspirations.”

The overall winner of the competition was The Hangout Hub team, comprised of 
Melisa Aydemir, Naima Augsburger Salmen, Rojin Bozkurt and Atanas Ganev. The Anti-Social team, which included Nur Kazan, Eliana Mankel, Kanaka Thakker and Shenon D’Costa, won the Most Inclusive prize. The Most Sustainable category was won by the Game Over team with Aswin Ferdinand, Ella Sears-Pocock, Daniella Hakim and Emily Davey. The Most Innovative prize went to team Unwind, made up of students Kris Pun, Valeriya Martyanova, Eda Morina and Hatice Zorpineci. Students Silvi Panchal, Pallav Kapoor, Danil Ripnar, Julie Beech and Gyuldzhan Shyukryuoglu, who made up the Unpack team, received a special mention for their design of a pop-up shop.
 
The winning team became full members of the project team and participated in all of aspects of the design and build project. This included spending two days in Wakefield at the offices of Spatialized (designers) and PDS Group (the build company), converting their concept to RIBA Stage 3 design and technical drawings, as well as learning about health and safety, mechanical and electrical services and project budgeting. 

Nina Musgrave, founder of Nina & Co., said: “For the past 12 months we have been working together to deliver the ultimate student-led design and build project. As far as I am aware, this is the first time a British university has invited its students to take part in a competition that would determine the contents, look, and feel of a new space, as well as work with the project team to deliver it. The phenomenal success of the project is a testament to everyone involved, great collaboration, the high quality of the designs and work produced by Westminster students, and the students' ability to rise to the mammoth challenge and deliver great results. I was seriously impressed by all of the entries, the vast range of concepts and how each group interpreted the brief."

On 4 September 2023 the winning team were guests of honour at the official opening of The Hangout and the new Learning Platform social space, where they received their QHT Design Awards and trophies from Vice-Chancellor and President Peter Bonfield.

Learn more about courses in the School of Architecture + Cities at the University of Westminster.