Comment issue 199 - March 2012

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NEWS

STUDENT NEWS

PROFILE

FOCUS

Olympic anti-doping

Rejuvenating indigenous craft

Professor Helen McCutcheon

New home for School of Law

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Comment For staff, students & friends

Issue 199 | March 2012

Events

The Archbishop of Canterbury’s 11th Building Bridges Seminar

DAVID TETT

23 April 2012, 09.00 – 17.00, Great Hall, Strand Campus

Dickensfest chaired by Griff Rhys Jones DOMINIC TURNER

28 April 2012, 9.45 – 17.30, Great Hall, Strand Campus

On 29 February Her Majesty The Queen officially opened Somerset House East Wing, Strand Campus. 180 years after King’s was built on the Strand, the College has realised its long-held ambition to move into the East Wing of Somerset House. King’s has breathed new life into the building which will be restored to its original status as a landmark London public building, refurbished to the highest standards with its architectural harmony enhanced and public access improved. The Queen, Patron of the College, accompanied by The Duke of Edinburgh, life governor of the College, was escorted through the Grade I listed building by Chairman of the College Council Lord Douro and the Principal Professor Rick Trainor. The building is the new home for the School of Law and

The Queen watched a student Moot Court in session before meeting staff and students from the School. She also visited the Inigo Rooms, Somerset House East Wing’s dedicated cultural space. At the end of the visit, The Queen unveiled a plaque to formally open the refurbished building. The Principal said: ‘This is an historic moment for the College. Somerset House East Wing will be a stimulating centre of teaching and research, especially for our School of Law, a place of debate and public engagement and a focus for new collaborations in culture and art.’ The official launch of Somerset House East Wing comes after 18 months of restoration, which began when King’s secured a 78 year lease for the building in 2009. The interior has been stripped of alterations made

over the years, new lifts have been installed and the basement floor lowered. Original features, such as cornices and fireplaces, have been refurbished. The interior decoration has been carefully conceived to complement the historic setting of the building. Designers have re-introduced colours in keeping with the Georgian style, whilst creating a fresh and modern interior suited to a working building for the 21st century. Somerset House East Wing will play a key role in King’s continued development as a world-class university, extending the Strand Campus and providing high quality accommodation for teaching and research. In its new home, the School of Law now has premises befitting its standing as one of Europe’s premier law schools and

6th Annual Excellence in Teaching Conference 19 June 2012, 9.00 – 16.00, Edmond J Safra Lecture Theatre, Strand Campus

reflecting its 180 year old tradition of excellence. The Performance Foundation will also be housed in Somerset House East Wing. The Foundation is dedicated to deepening debate about, and directing action towards, engagement with public audiences who have previously had limited access to the arts and education. The King’s Executive Education Centre will be based on the first floor of Somerset House East Wing and offers a range of training suites, seminar, meeting and breakout rooms, lounges and a business centre, together with state-of-the-art audio visual technology. The facility is aimed at the executive education market and is also available for external hire, meetings, video For more details on these events, conferencing, launches and events. The King’s Cultural Institute 2 please turn to page 12

More information

ED PARK

Her Majesty The Queen opens Somerset House East Wing

WESTMINSTER CITY ARCHIVES

Her Majesty The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh arrive at King’s and are greeted by Chairman of College Council Lord Douro, the Principal Professor Rick Trainor and his wife Professor Marguerite Dupree


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Comment issue 199 - March 2012 by King's College London - Issuu