The Main Quad and surrounding buildings will undergo a major transformation next year, and we’re really excited about the possibilities for the future.
Over the past year, Sabbatical Officer teams have worked with architects to shape the proposals for Main Quad and surrounding buildings into something that will hugely benefit student life at UCL. We want to make the Quad (and surrounding spaces) fully accessible, useable all year round, bookable by student groups, rich in biodiversity, and places you want to spend time.
We think the final plans do all of that and more. UCL’s 200-year anniversary is coming up and this landmark project will be ready for the celebrations in February 2026. Two Sabbs (Goksu and Ana) are part of the UCL200 Strategic Delivery group, helping to oversee the wider plans for the UCL200 programme and there are lots of exciting opportunities for students ahead.
The work in the quad and surrounding buildings is long overdue, and anyone who’s tried to run an event in the quad will know how hard it can be. The current space isn’t fully wheelchair accessible, there’s limited access to power, water, or seating. The grass areas are almost unusable during the winter months without the risk of stepping in mud, and there’s a huge pop-up teaching building taking up valuable space. The plans address all of these issues and more, and the interior spaces will be much improved too, with a new lift being installed for step-free access to all rooms. More details here.
The renovation work begins in early January 2025, with preparatory site activities starting over the winter break. Completion is due by January 2026, ready for the start of a year of Bicentennial activity and celebration.
Short-term Impact on Student Life
While some areas of the Quad will remain accessible initially, temporary closures and hoardings will come into effect by mid-January 2025 as construction progresses, further details will be shared on the Bicentennial Physical Legacy Works webpages. The cloisters will be closed from early January 2025.
This work will affect activities planned in the Quad and surrounding buildings in 2025 and early 2026, including events like Fillifest, Norwuz, and Welcome Fair. However, we’ve been working in collaboration with UCL Estates teams to make sure student activities are prioritised and alternative venues arranged.
On top of the regular room bookings, we have secured:
- Gordon Square for large events i.e International Festival, Welcome Week, and Awards receptions.
- An External Venue for Welcome Fair.
- Event spaces in Senate House.
- The JBR exclusively for clubs and societies on Mon, Weds, Fri after 15:00 and all-day Saturday and Sunday.
- Fully covered and heated Wilkins Terrace every day from 16:00 and then all-day Saturday and Sunday.
The spaces to be included in the refurbishment works and unavailable during 2025 are:
- Main Quad
- North and South Cloisters
- Haldane Room
- North and South Offices
- UCL Art Museum
- Provost’s Dining Room
- Whistler Room
Opportunity for the future
- The new Main Quad layout includes multiple bookable spaces for several club and society events to run at the same time. Currently, student groups have to book the whole Quad to run even small events.
- New spaces will be created, including ‘mini theatre’ performance spaces behind each observatory.
- Two large/wide paths enclose the quad, with plenty of space for food festival/gazebo pop ups.
- More power, data and water access points will be available throughout the space, meaning even easier access to setting up activity.
- There will be in built seating areas to make the Quad a space to sit, work and relax in – all year-round.
- New trees and wildflowers will be planted to improve and enhance the biodiversity.
- The Cloisters will essentially double in size, with more accessible activity space where the current Haldane room and connected offices are located.
We’ll keep you updated with progress and behind the scenes images as the work progresses.