The Streatham Campus in Exeter, Devon is the largest campus of the University of Exeter. The centre of the campus is occupied by teaching, administrative and service buildings. Most of the university's student halls of residence, and some accommodation for postgraduates and families, are on its edges.
Facilities
The campus has a student medical centre, supermarket, a counselling service, a children's day-care centre, a careers service and numerous catering outlets. Many halls of residence and some self-catering accommodation are located on this campus or in the near vicinity. In 2005 Streatham Campus's newest building, the Xfi centre, was completed to provide facilities mainly for postgraduate study in finance and investment. The main bar on the campus, called "Ram", is situated in Devonshire house. The bar has an old feel to it with a beer garden outside. Cornwall House also has a bar, formerly called the "Ewe" which is part of the Lemon Grove, the student nightclub. Both of these facilities are run by the Students' Guild. The postgraduate centre, Clydesdale House also has catering facilities and a bar. Clydesdale house also hosts social events organised by the Postgraduate Society.
Architecture
The campus is not as noted for its architecture as it is for its landscaping, since many of its buildings date from the period of rapid UK university expansion in the 1960s and 1970s when cost considerations dominated. Architecturally the most interesting buildings are those that date from before or after this period, including Reed Hall, and the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies and Xfi. The University College's original architect, Vincent Harris, had a master plan for a ring of buildings rising from Washington Singer, but this was realised only in part; apart from Washington Singer, the only buildings he was responsible for are Roborough, Hatherly, the Mary Harris Memorial Chapel, and Mardon Hall, the first student residence built on the campus. Sir Basil Spence was the architect of the Physics building.
Buildings
Most of the teaching and administrative buildings on the Streatham campus are named after benefactors or former officers of the university. Major buildings, with their primary uses, include:
Geoffrey Pope, named after a former Chair of the University's Council
Great Hall
Harrison, named after a former Vice-Chancellor
Hatherly
Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies
Knightley
Laver, named after a former Chair of the University's Council
New Library
Newman Building
Old Library
Peter Chalk, named after a former Chair of the University's Council
Physics tower
Queen's, named in honour of Queen Elizabeth II's visit to present the University with its founding charter
Reed Hall , named after Alderman Reed, a former mayor of Exeter, who donated Streatham Hall in 1922. Streatham Hall's estate of around included a valuable arboretum of rare and beautiful trees collected from around the world by the Veitch family.
Roborough, formerly Roborough Library. It was named after the first Lord Roborough, an early benefactor.
Streatham Court
Thornlea, contiguous with the campus but not strictly on it since there is no access to the building from the campus side.
The Forum is a new £48 million centrepiece in the centre of the Streatham Campus. The mix of outside and inside space includes a new Student Services Centre, refurbished library, retail and catering outlets and learning spaces. Sir Robert McAlpine was appointed as the main contractor for the project and began construction on campus in March 2010. The Forum was officially opened by Her Majesty the Queen on 2 May 2012.
The Northcott Theatre is also located on the Streatham Campus, but is independent of the University.
