STudents union

University of Buckingham

Location: Buckingham | Date: January 2022

As the University of Buckingham looked to refurbish its Students’ Union Building -the Tanlaw Mill- we were delighted to be their chosen partner to deliver a state of the art hub that makes it easier for students to spend quality time together.

The University has liaised with elected students leaders who have represented students’ views that the space should be used throughout the day and into the night and we paved the road from vision to reality.

Changes included transforming the bar with a speakeasy theme, a dedicated games room with pool table and consoles, an exhibition space and a dining space that converts to an extension of the social space in the evening.

Sport and student union manager Callum Roberts said: “This investment is transformational for the students experience at Buckingham and we are very excited to welcome our new and returning students to the upgraded facilities.”

We developed the existing space to allow students to spend more time in the building, with the aim of creating a truly student-owned space, with more agile working spaces available in the daytime and social areas available at night.

Vice chancellor of the University of Buckingham, prof. James Tooley said: “This will really help students to socialise and study together in top class surroundings.”

Client Testimonial

The University of Buckingham Students' Union worked with Absolute Commercial Interiors on the design and renovation of our bar, social and catering space on campus. Absolute were one of four companies that we spoke to and we were particularly impressed by the quality of the pitch they made and effort that had been put into winning our business. We didn’t feel like ‘just another bid’ as they demonstrated real interest in what we were trying to do and why.

Once we had agreed to work with Absolute we continued to be impressed by their personal approach to the design phase. In particular they embraced the level of consultation we wanted and helped us to ensure that the finished design was truly representative of our needs as a business.

During the build the contractors used by ACI were generally pleasant and tidy in their work and responded to swiftly to any items that required touching up after the work was completed. The finished space has been incredibly well received by the students and staff at the University and it’s been fantastic to see the space coming to life now that it is occupied.

We would consider using Absolute again in the future and would be willing to talk to any other company considering using them for a project.
Callum Roberts
Sport & Students’ Union Manager
The University of Buckingham