Key infrastructure milestone reached for UCL East campus

Press release: 19th March 2018

The UCL East programme reached another key milestone on Monday 19th March, with the publication of main contractor tender documents for Marshgate I, the largest building in Phase 1 of UCL's new campus on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. 

Tenders will be invited from the five contractors who were short-listed at the end of 2017. The preferred contractor will be appointed under a pre-construction services agreement in summer 2018. Construction of Marshgate I is expected to start in Q2 2019, following completion of design and agreement of build costs. A phased opening of the building is planned from September 2022.

Designed by architecture practice Stanton Williams, Marshgate I will be a new 35,000m2 research, innovation and teaching building that will serve as the centre for the UCL East academic vision - bringing together Experiments, Arts, Society & Technology (EAST), as well as the core themes of making, originating, connecting and living. 

UCL East will create a vibrant new university campus on the Olympic Park, ultimately providing around 180,000 square metres of new floor space (equivalent to 25 Wembley football pitches). Through the new campus, UCL is part of a major regeneration development that aims to transform the area and bring educational, cultural and economic benefits to local communities. As a founding partner of the culture and education district (CED) on the Olympic Park, UCL will be located alongside some of London's greatest cultural institutions, including the Victoria and Albert Museum, UAL's London College of Fashion and Sadler's Wells.

Stephen Wells, UCL Estates' Director of Major Projects, commented:

"The first stage tender for Marshgate I is the result of an excellent team effort by UCL and its advisors. It will see us moving a step closer to realising our ambition of creating a vibrant and innovative new campus in Stratford. Reaching this key milestone demonstrates that we are on track to deliver Marshgate I, as planned, to enable occupation and operational use from September 2022."

Read a short coverage of this in Building UK magazine: 'Design teams shortlisted for UCL Stratford campus'

UCL media contact:

Rebecca Caygill, Acting Head of Media Relations

c.caygill@ucl.ac.uk or +44 (0)77 3330 7596