UCL East
One Pool Street

One Pool Street

One Pool Street is one of two buildings that together make up the first phase of UCL’s new UCL East campus.  The building combines multi-disciplinary research labs, a lecture theatre that doubles as a cinema, spaces to explore ecological and urban issues with local communities, an art studio, a shop, a café and accommodation for more than 550 students.

This multiple mixed-use building sets the scene for a campus that will redefine how universities work and interact with their local communities, collaborating to solve challenges facing London and cities around the world.  UCL’s ambition is to make the university welcoming and accessible to east London communities – a key part of the brief.

Academic space

Rather than simply relocating departments or faculties to the Park, UCL’s new campus is breaking down traditional academic barriers. Its buildings will support research and teaching around a range of themes. These include sustainable cities, transformative technologies, health and wellbeing, cultural understanding and justice and equality. UCL is committed to working with its neighbours in east London on breakthroughs and discoveries with both a local and a global impact.

Home to a range of cutting-edge new UCL schools and centres including UCL’s People and Nature Lab, UCL Robotics and Autonomous Systems and activity led by the UCL School for Creative and Cultural Industries and The Bartlett at UCL East.

Student residential

Above the podium terrace, rise slender 13- and 17-storey towers containing 552 student rooms in clusters served by shared living rooms. The apartments have been designed in response to student consultations, reflecting a desire for large communal spaces that give a homely feel, encouraging togetherness.  En-suite bedrooms and large glass-sided ‘observation car’ spaces at the ends of the towers, with stunning triple aspect views, provide students with an unbeatable place to live.  Students can access the terrace, café, library and screening room in the podium after hours to give them an ample range of amenities.

Sustainability

The building has sustainability at its core, looking ahead to the next 50 years and beyond in terms of its thermal performance and reaction to wind patterns.  Its innovative, highly articulated shaded façade is designed to prevent overheating and to break down the severe winds that blow across the park.

The third floor terrace and an additional dedicated area provide outdoor labs for studying ecology and the environment.  Together these green roof areas help enhance biodiversity by providing habitat in line with the local Queen Elizabeth Park Biodiversity Action Plan and achieving maximum BREEAM credits for land use and ecology (design stage).