Herzog & de Meuron appointed for Royal College of Art Battersea campus

In another recent competition win, Herzog & de Meuron was announced today as the designer of the Royal College of Art's Battersea campus. The Swiss architects were deemed the “clear choice” for the £108m project over a competitive shortlist including Christian Kerez (Switzerland), Diller Scofidio + Renfro (US) Lacaton & Vassal (France), Robbrecht en Daem architecten (Belgium), Serie Architects (UK/Singapore), and Studio Gang (US).

Herzog & de Meuron's initial concept won the Architectural Selection Panel's favor with a clear organizational structure that demonstrated an in-depth understanding of the potential of the Battersea site, among other factors.

Read on for more.

The RCA is working toward becoming a STEAM-focused graduate university (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics/Medicine), expanding research and knowledge exchange in areas like connected cities, robotics, the Internet of Things and intelligent mobility, sustainability, mass migration, and urban design. 

“It was an ambitious brief that invited participants into our own thought process at a very early stage,” stated Dr. Adrian Lahoud, Dean of Architecture and a member of the Selection Panel. “It demanded foresight, sensitivity, and rigour, which every entry lived up to in its own way, providing a fascinating sample of thinking on the future of art and design education...”

According to the RCA, the jury selected Herzog & de Meuron's proposal for “a deep understanding of the potential for Battersea, making new connections and foreseeing the possibilities for sustainable place-making. Their concept provided a clear organisational structure and showed an acute sensibility in mapping the complex objectives in the brief.”

Moving forward, the College will work with the Herzog & de Meuron + Mott MacDonald & Equals Consulting team to further develop the design concept.

The Architectural Selection Panel included:

• Dr Paul Thompson (Chair)
• Professor Naren Barfield
• Richard Benson
• Dr Adrian Lahoud
• Professor Judith Mottram
• Baroness Gail Rebuck
• Alan Leibowitz (lay member of Council)
• Professor Ricky Burdett (lay member of Council)
• Professor Rachel Cooper OBE (lay member of Council)
• Paola Antonelli
• Marcus Cole (Architecture student)
• Malcolm Reading (adviser and facilitator)