Mixed-use scheme would add new education space to school site formerly known as The Cass

London Met 1

The London Met’s School of Architecture site in Aldgate

AHMM is drawing up plans to redevelop the London Met’s School of Architecture site as a mixed-use scheme including a 22-storey student accommodation tower.

The practice is working with the Prudential Assurance Company and the City of London Corporation on the Calcutta House site in Aldgate on the eastern edge of the Square Mile.

The 0.5ha site is currently occupied by a dense cluster of buildings including the London Metropolitan University’s School of Architecture and Design, formerly called The Cass.

Parts of the school have relocated to a series of spaces elsewhere on the university’s estate for the 2025/26 academic year, although the school of architecture has remained on the Aldgate site.

Pre-planning documents submitted to Tower Hamlets council state the University is “seeking to consolidate to other premises within London”. 

Plans for the redevelopment come six years after the university scrapped plans to relocate its school of architecture following a backlash from students and staff.

AHMM’s plans for the site would add two storeys to the existing Calcutta House, creating an eight-storey building with around 10,600sq m of education space. 

It is unclear if the London Metropolitan University will occupy this space following the redevelopment.

Buildings on the southern half of the site would be demolished to make way for a 22-storey tower containing 787 student bedrooms, with other buildings on the scheme containing retail and community space.

The existing basement under Calcutta House would be retained and reused, while the areas under the new build elements of the site will have existing basements deepened to allow for plant to be installed.

The project team includes Montagu Evans on heritage and townscape and visualisation consultants Cityscape Digital. An environmental impact assessment scoping opinion has been submitted by consultant Trium.

The London Metropolitan University has been contacted for comment.

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