Staff representatives from relevant parts of the University, led by Project Sponsor and Director of the Institute of Health & Wellbeing Professor Jill Pell, met last week to plan how the new IHW building could welcome the community.

An integral part of the ongoing campus development project is ensuring that the buildings work, not just for staff and students, but for members of the local community and beyond.

The workshop last week, the first of many to come, focussed on the new building's capability and potential for public engagement and knowledge exchange activities that will be accessible to the public.

The University is committed to discovering and sharing knowledge which can be world-changing and support a culture of public engagement.

The discussion last week focussed upon how this culture will be embedded into the new building: a starting-point is its  favourable location on Church Street that will be easily accessible to the public. There are plans to include a cafe and prominent use of glass in the infrastructure to invite as many passer-by into the building as possible. 

Other plans include: utilising the large atrium space with moveable exhibitions for school children to visit; engaging with local charities and offering a space for them to use; and providing an educational family attraction.

“We shall continue to hold these discussions  throughout the campus development programme of construction to ensure the new IHW building is an inclusive facility for all. The promotion of health and wellbeing is the focus of our work but we also want to demonstrate its practice as well.”

First published: 7 December 2017

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