Kingston Student Living, Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames

The Challenge

SYSTRA was commissioned by Engie to provide access and inclusive design services relating to a planning application for Kingston University’s Seething Wells and Kingston Hill student accommodation residences. These schemes formed part of the wider Kingston Student Living project.

SYSTRA’s Role

In addition to providing transport consultancy services for the scheme, SYSTRA produced an accessibility strategy for both campuses, taking into account a variety of users with mobility, visual and hearing impairments. SYSTRA advised on wheelchair accessible bedrooms and common areas, in order to improve and promote inclusivity at the University. SYSTRA also advised the client on the acceptability of new footpaths which negotiated the challenging gradient changes around the site.

SYSTRA have further been involved in RIBA Stage 4 of the detailed design stage of the project, providing key access and inclusive design advice to TP Bennett, the architects on the scheme. Key challenges for this part of the scheme involved working with existing building restrictions, along with listed buildings on site. SYSTRA were clearly able to propose and advise access design options, working with the restrictions through our excellent knowledge of building control regulations, especially in such constrained spaces such as the WC in bedrooms.

The applications were submitted in April 2019, with both subsequently being approved by the Royal Borough of Kingston. Construction works commenced in late 2019.