Improving the Bloomsbury campus

Links:

ucl.ac.uk/locations/" target="_self">UCL Estates and Facilities
UCL Locations

Over the summer, UCL has been making numerous improvements to its main campus in Bloomsbury.

In Malet Place the original Victorian iron gates have been reinstalled at the Torrington Place entrance and there is also new paving and lighting. The result, when the work is completed, will be an attractive open space for staff and students from what was previously an industrial alley.

Elsewhere, the southern façade of the Wilkins Building, overlooking the South Quad and the Print Room café area, has been cleaned and the ivy trimmed back. The southern staircase which links this square to the front quadrangle has also been improved.

The summer refurbishments include:

• 33-35 Torrington Place, occupied by ESPS
• Foster Court Ground Floor South, allowing Information Studies to relocate from the Henry Morley Building
• The Jeremy Bentham Room
• The Old Refectory
• The Gustave Tuck Lecture Theatre
• The Darwin Lecture Theatre, including replacing the heating and air handling equipment, installing new AV equipment incorporating HD projection and the replacement of all internal furnishings.
• The Bloomsbury Fitness Centre gym extension and the front lobby of the Theatre

A new disabled access facility has been completed in 22 Gordon Square for the benefit of the houses on the west side of the square.

Key projects have also started on site at the Lewis Building, on the corner of Gower Street and Gower Place, for the Student Union, Central House in Upper Woburn Place and the new accelerated bioengineering facility at Bernard Katz.

An extensive programme for upgrading centrally bookable spaces is also close to completion. The Biochemistry lecture theatre and other associated seminar rooms adjacent to the Darwin Lecture Theatre will be refurbished shortly to provide refurbished teaching spaces and a conference hospitality facility.

Overall, work has been carried out in 36 centrally bookable and communal spaces across the campus. Air handling equipment has also been overhauled in most lecture theatres, and the AV equipment has either been replaced or significantly upgraded in 34 centrally booked rooms.

Image above: UCL students outside the Print Room cafe

---

UCL context

UCL Estates & Facilities Division (EFD) is responsible for the management of all UCL's physical estate including property acquisition and management, new buildings, building maintenance and alteration, safety, security, cleaning, record keeping, student residences and central room bookings.

Related articles

UCL scoops EcoCampus Bronze Award
New and improved UCL exhibition spaces
UK climbs to third in global league of green building