Developing the West Slope
Learn about how we are growing our campus.
Campus development
We’re investing in making the University of Sussex better. Through our campus development, we can maintain our position as one of the world’s leading academic institutions and attract and work with the best and brightest minds.
A better campus
Our experiences of study, work and life over the past few years have highlighted even more keenly the need to provide space that works for all our people – students and staff alike.
We’re investing in making our stunning 60-year-old campus better – with everything from big builds to small changes to our existing space and facilities. These will give us areas that work, providing modern spaces and keeping our historic campus beautiful for another 60 years.
Over the past five years, we have built 2,117 new bedrooms on campus, creating a new student village – East Slope – with a mixture of townhouses and flats as well as study spaces and social hubs. We have also opened the doors of our brand new Student Centre – a multipurpose learning and events space, which as well as being a new hub for student services, offers retail and leisure amenities.
Our next step is the most ambitious programme we have undertaken in recent years. The West Slope development will greatly enhance the student and academic experience, giving the University the infrastructure it needs to continue to be an internationally-recognised centre for excellence, as well as being a covetable place to live, work and forge connections.
Investing in the student experience
Read about our exciting new Student Centre.
Enhancing our landscape and environment
Explore our grand green spaces.
Preserving our architecture and heritage
Delve into our decades of history.
Latest news
New public artwork – share your thoughts
Posted on behalf of: Better Campus
Last updated: Tuesday, 20 May 2025
An artist's impression of the West Slope development featuring Sussex Lawns, the green area at the heart of the development, and the location of our new artwork
Public art is part of the fabric of our campus. Sculptures, paintings, murals and more can be found inside and out, adding colour, sparking interest and helping us to create a sense of place.
As we develop our West Slope, we are continuing our tradition of public art on campus and will be commissioning a new artwork for Sussex Lawns, a green area at the heart of the development, close by to our new Health and Wellbeing Centre, supermarket and student accommodation.
From an open call, a shortlist of five artists has been invited to create a ‘concept design’ for West Slope, which will be on display in the Library from Monday 19 May.
Choosing our new artwork
Each artist has been asked to create a concept design for the new artwork based on a set of criteria which encourages the use of local materials and reflects our natural surrounds. This is an early-stage design, such as a sketch, that represents each artist’s overall vision for the artwork and explores their ideas and intentions.
Following the display in the Library, a panel of representatives from both the University and Brighton & Hove City Council will review the concept designs and invite one artist to develop their concept into a final design. The artist will then collaborate with the University and the Council on the design with installation of the artwork expected in 2027/2028.
Share your thoughts
You are invited to view the proposed designs for our next public artwork in the Library from Monday 19 May to Sunday 1 June.
The concept designs will be on display alongside some more information about West Slope and the criteria to which the artists have created their designs. You will find the display in the Library café area.
Please visit and share your thoughts – all feedback will be shared with the review panel ahead of a final artwork being selected. If you are unable to make it in person, you can also view some of the images in our online gallery.