West Thames College is a successful college of Further Education, serving 7000 students from an ethnically diverse background. The Atrium building was the first phase of the redevelopment of the entire campus and accommodates all the communal facilities used by all staff and students. The project comprises a large atrium space, directly behind the main reception, which leads onto social, dining and cafe facilities on the ground floor, and a learning resource centre, a 4 court sports hall, fitness suite, and a 250 seat theatre with full back-of-house facilities on the upper floors. The atrium forms the heart of the college, greatly improving communication and the social life of the college and providing an exciting venue for many events, exhibitions, performances, open days and social occasions. Sir Joseph Banks building, named after the famous 18th C botanist who built the original college buildings as his home, is the 2nd phase of the redevelopment of the entire campus and accommodates most of the teaching spaces comprising about 100 classrooms, design studios, laboratories and workshops. The accommodation is arranged either side of a wide central circulation space, incorporating generous light wells that ensure most rooms have cross ventilation and natural light on both sides, and stepping down the gently sloping site to enhance the historic parkland site and ease level access.