01 UCL sustained considerable bomb damage to the campus during the Second World War 02 Student space / area 03 University College London campus site 04 Turbine Hall at the Tate Modern, London 05 The Portico UCL 06 UCL Bloomsbury Masterplan
“The second is a sense of belonging to UCL as a whole. At present, some students may feel more loyalty to their particular course, but a space like this – if done well – could create a more general feeling of belonging to the university.” Iain notes the presence of other great architecture on the UCL campus, particularly the Wilkins Building, but says the new Student Centre has a chance to create something more modern and cutting edge. “As a university, UCL has always had a pretty radical agenda: it’s a place for the exchange of ideas, for scientific discovery, for questioning beliefs. This building has the chance to convey that spirit of openness and questioning.” If it can do this, Iain has no doubt that it could transform the student experience. “It’s unquestionably the case that great architecture can improve people’s lives. A challenging, well-designed building could make a fantastic contribution to the student experience.”
Asked about other buildings that have achieved such a feat, Iain highlights Tate Modern. “It transformed an unloved space – a disused turbine hall – into a multi-faceted location for Londoners. It’s now somewhere that challenges people’s ideas, provides shelter from the rain, brings people together, hosts Kraftwerk gigs and interesting talks and, of course, houses amazing art. If we can get something of that quality at UCL, then we will really be able to transform the student experience.” For the latest updates on the progress of the new UCL Student Centre visit our website www.ucl.ac.uk If you would like to make a donation to this project contact: Michelle Dean Senior Development Manager michelle.dean@ucl.ac.uk +44 (0)20 3108 3823
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