The Forum Hertfordshire is the main social facility for the University of Hertfordshire and developed from a comprehensive Masterplan and estate strategy. The ground floor of the Forum faces a new external square and has a 400 cover restaurant, a convenience store, coffee bar, foyer and retail units. At first floor, the entertainment venue has 2000 person capacity, with the ability to sub-divide into three rooms hosting simultaneous events and capable of head-line bands and performers. The design concept raised the essentially black-box space of the night club above the more active spaces for catering and retail ensuring a greater degree of activity, visibility and passive security to the wider campus.

The facility is a primary factor in attracting prospective students as well as reinforcing the University as a ‘cultural presence’ in the region. MCW instigated a University wide competition for art works to be incorporated as part of the finished project. Three elements have been implemented – a graphic, ‘post it’ note inspired installation to the entrance glazing, a light installation within the main restaurant and a corten sculpture outside the nursery.