London College of Fashion to relocate to East London

London College of Fashion (LCF) is set to relocate to the 2012 Olympic village in September 2021, as part of the UAL's relocation to Stratford's Olympicopolis arts hub.

"There are lots of designers based around this area, so we have the chance to not only refashion East London but to make a really significant economic contribution," said Professor Francis Corner, head of London College of Fashion at the opening of the LCF's BA16 exhibition, reported to Vogue. "And as part of that we will also discuss not only how we connect to the rest of the UK, but how we connect to the rest of Europe and the world," she added in reference to the impending EU referendum.

The new university and cultural quarter will offer facilities for the Victoria & Albert Museum and Sadler's Wells in addition to the new LCF and UAL campus. The new 30,000 square meter LCF campus, which will be designed by architectural firm Allies & Morrison, is set to bring together 5,000 fashion students and 500 members of staff under a single roof for the first time.

Construction for the campus is set to begin in 2018 and the LCF campus will feature a glass roof, which was inspired by the fabric weft of the mills of Huddersfield. "The architects have got really excited about contradictions," said Corner. "The space needs to be private but public. It needs to look inviting, but it needs to allow us to have our hiding spaces as well. It needs to unite the analogue with the digital. We want things to be messy but also incredibly sleek. We're making what they term a workshop for the 21st century."

Photo: Allies & Morrison sketch for Olympicopolis culture and education