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CAMPUS NEWS
Hawkshead: The future
Making a good thing better – a new heart for Hawkshead
As part of the RVC’s Strategic Plan, the College is committed to developing our estate and infrastructure to enhance every aspect of our students’ educational, cultural and social experience. This means we must periodically refresh our buildings and facilities, to serve the current and future needs of our community.
At Hawkshead, we have embarked on the largest and most ambitious single capital development the RVC has ever undertaken, with an overall expenditure of around £45 million. We will keep you updated on the progress and how you can help.
The current project involves the creation of a new teaching and learning centre at the heart of the campus, on the footprint of the old Clinical Block, as well as a substantial extension to the TaRC laboratories and internal remodelling of Eclipse.
This will boost connectivity between existing buildings, deliver improved and expanded teaching and research facilities, and provide better office accommodation for our staff.
The design includes a new high-capacity lecture theatre, a variety of social learning spaces, teaching laboratories and a group learning suite.
The area between the buildings will be enclosed within a full-length atrium, which can support student events, functions and exhibitions, while improved landscaping
and an expanded plaza will augment the existing outdoor spaces.
The adjoining research hub and
small enterprise incubator will foster collaboration between academia and business to advance our One Health approach. One Health is the method of collaboration between different disciplines to achieve the best health outcomes for animals, humans and the environment.
The work conducted at this facility will accelerate the development of next- generation vaccines and cell therapies that will fight key animal infections and ultimately protect humans. Creation of the research hub is being supported by a £7 million grant from the Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership.
As part of our commitment to a more environmentally sustainable campus, the new building will include efficient thermal and lighting controls, while across the wider campus we will introduce electric car charging points and incorporate a range of native and pollinator-centric species in the landscaping. See the accompanying article on page six for more information about our environmental sustainability programme for this build.
Due for completion in the summer of 2021, this latest development of the Hawkshead Campus will help us to maintain our reputation as the world’s leading destination for veterinary sciences and allow us to adapt to future challenges.
If you have any questions about the current development, please contact capitalprojects@rvc.ac.uk
Atrium
West entrance
East entrance
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