Willmott Dixon has been chosen by Queen Mary University of London for a £48.8m project to redevelop its flagship School of Business and Management in Tower Hamlets.

When complete in 2027, the new 6,700m2 seven-storey facility will replace the current building which is no longer fit for purpose. It will deliver a mix of high-quality, flexible learning and teaching spaces that cater to various learning needs, providing a dedicated home for the school of Business and Management and reflecting the university’s commitment to delivering world-class education.

Working with Nicholas Hare Architects, Willmott Dixon’s work will also improve public spaces around the site, including landscaped terraces and dedicated green spaces.

This latest contract with Queen Mary University of London follows work secured in 2024 to enlarge the Informatics and Technology Learning building in Bethnal Green. This involves Willmott Dixon delivering a whole building retrofit and extension, including adding two new storeys above the original property, to increase student capacity and provide a centre of excellence for computer science.

Both projects are major investments for one of the UK's leading research-focused universities with over 32,000 students on degree programmes.

Talking about the new School of Business and Management project for the university, Richard Poulter, Willmott Dixon’s managing director in the South :

“We are proud to be delivering this new hub for the School of Business and Management for Queen Mary University London. This building will provide enhanced learning and teaching spaces that foster the University’s commitment to delivering world-class education. Being able to help deliver this vision is rewarding and underpins our mission of enhancing the facility for the benefit of the students, faculty, and the wider community.

“Working with Queen Mary University London here and on the Information Technology Lab simultaneously will provide significant collaborative benefits for the university.”

Professor Colin Bailey, President and Principal of Queen Mary:

“This project represents more than just bricks and mortar. It is a bold investment in our academic future: a tangible statement of our commitment to excellence in education, research, and innovation, allowing us to deliver our mission of opening the doors of opportunity, transforming lives, addressing inequalities, and making new discoveries.”

Professor Mike Noon, Dean of the School of Business and Management:

“For local students who might not have ideal study conditions at home, this facility is a game-changer. We are not just creating a structure, but the opportunity to be an even stronger, fairer, and more forward-looking University.”