Buildings Team Blog: Summer works to Wilkins building and main quad

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lib-buildings@ucl.ac.uk monitored Mon-Fri 07:15-17:15

UCL Estates is gearing up for another busy summer of improvement works. Summer vacation is the busiest time for Estates, our opportunity to complete essential building and refurbishment works outside term time.

What’s happening and when?

• The main quad temporary marquee is coming down from weekend commencing 29 July and into next week. This will make way for the Main Quad temporary teaching pop up.
• A new temporary pop up teaching space is being built in the Main Quad. Work will commence in early August and continue up to the start of the new term in September/October 2017.
• A toilet refurbishment programme is currently underway in the Wilkins building to provide a number of new, refurbished and upgraded, gender neutral toilets. This will be complete for the new term.

Main Quad teaching pop up – site works

The existing marquee will be removed from 29 July 2017. Works to the new Main Quad Teaching Pop Up will begin in early August 2017, due to complete in October 2017.

From the outset of the project, minimizing the impact of the temporary structure one of the most significant locations of the central UCL Campus, has been a core element that has received considerable focus and work to achieve the best possible outcome.

Tree protection to ensure that their roots are not disrupted and close work with Historic England, Camden Council and Slade School of Fine Art on a sympathetic, heritage-related building wrap will ensure the pop-up works in harmony with the landscape.

Buildings adjacent to the Main Quad teaching pop up site may be affected during the works.

The South boundary of the site will block off one of the three entrances to Chadwick during the construction period for the Teaching Pop Up. This will only be used as an emergency exit from Chadwick for the duration of construction works. However all attempts have been made to mitigate any disruption caused as a result of this.

There will be some further noise / disruption, kept to a minimum, for dismantling of the marquee and the Teaching Pop Up build. Any other necessary route closures will be scheduled for weekends where possible.

Main Quad teaching pop up – project information

The Main Quad Pop-up is a five year facility to increase teaching and learning space on campus, covering the reduction due to current Transforming UCL refurbishment works elsewhere on campus.

UCL Estates

Available for the start of the 2017/2018 academic year, it will include two 100 and two 50-seat lecture rooms comprising 300 teaching spaces in total in a two-storey pop up.

Toilet refurbishment programme, Wilkins and North Wing Slade buildings – site works

Between 31st May – 19th September we will be refurbishing our toilet facilities on central campus. The works will be phased and we have liaised with stakeholders to agree when each toilet cluster can be closed over the summer recess to minimise disruption. Alternative facilities are sign-posted at site and include 14 newly refurbished toilets in Lower Rectory available now with the completion of Wilkins Terrace and Lower Refectory.

 How you can help

Please help us to make your departments aware of possible disruption during this period. We are working hard to minimise disruption but unfortunately noise and amended way-finding may interrupt your normal working patterns. This is unavoidable and we apologise in advance for the inconvenience. Thanks for your patience while we work.