Highfield Campus - History

History

The first buildings were opened on 20 June 1914. The buildings were handed over by the college authorities for use as a military hospital during the First World War. In order to cope with the volume of casualties, wooden huts were erected at the rear of the building. The college continued to use these after the war, eventually replacing the makeshift extension with brick buildings. With the continuing expansion, an academic bookshop was built on the site of Church Farm and the Students' Union complex and refectory were built on the site of Sir Sidney Kimber's brickyard. The red brick buildings (Hartley library and West building of the Southampton University Students' Union) were designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott and constructed in the 1930s.. The numbering of these buildings, while seemingly random, was based on a decision made to help encourage communication and cooperation, a strategy still in place today as reaffirmed by the latest Life Sciences building, building 85, surrounded by buildings 32, 20, 8 and 17 .

The majority of the buildings on the campus, including Nuffield Theatre, were designed by Sir Basil Spence and constructed in the 1950s. A new masterplan for the Highfield campus was drawn up in 1998 by renowned architect Rick Mather who has also contributed some of the newer buildings. The campus has expanded rapidly over the last decade, with many notable new buildings including one designed by Norman Foster. Construction of the EEE (Electronics, Education and Entrance) building started in December 2005 and completed at the end of January 2007. The refurbishment of the EEE building was 'topped out' on 9 May 2007.

The campus retains an area of parkland in which are scattered 20th century sculptures by Barbara Hepworth, F.E. McWilliams, Justin Knowles, Nick Pope and John Edwards.