Devonport House was built in the 1920s as a nurses' home. Acquired by the University in 1996, parts were opened as a hotel in 2001. The refurbished building will include flexible teaching and learning spaces, and become home to Greenwich Business School.
Extensive refurbishment of Devonport House will recondition the former hotel to a high standard, retaining historic features, such as the Churchill Room and two historic staircases, and creating a highly efficient and sustainable building.
A contemporary extension, sensitively connected to the original building via a glazed atrium, will replace the former hotel conference centre that was added in the 1990s. The atrium will be a dynamic space, with informal seating areas for students and staff and views of the historic façade. Much of the ground floor will be open to the public.
Devonport House will be net zero carbon for heating and targets BREEAM Excellent. The landscape proposals will create new, welcoming green spaces for students, visitors and the local community. Increased planting and biodiversity will create green corridors and wildlife habitats, with new squares, seating and improved pedestrian routes in place of the current car parking area.
Professor Jane Harrington, Vice-Chancellor and CEO at the University of Greenwich comments, “The responsible reimaging of Devonport House will create a vibrant hub for our staff and students with state-of-the-art teaching facilities, all in a truly unique setting.
“We are excited that the new building offers spaces where the public and the university community will be welcome and allow for the opening up of an area of Greenwich that has been underutilised for too long.”
McLaren Construction’s managing director for London & South, Darren Gill, comments, “Higher education is investing heavily in its estate to compete for students and provide the modern and sustainable learning environments they expect.”
“The University of Greenwich is blessed with some of London’s most iconic historic buildings. That’s quite a draw for students, but it’s also a heavy responsibility. The challenge is in offering world class education facilities while maintaining and conserving key elements of the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site.”
McLaren has been on site conducting enabling works in partnership with the university since December 2024 under a pre-construction services agreement. The building is expected to welcome staff, students, visitors and the wider public from the 2028/29 academic year, marking the next chapter in the transformation of Devonport House.