UCL unveils stunning social space at heart of campus

An innovative new outdoor space located in the middle of UCL's Bloomsbury campus formally opens today, marking a key milestone in the delivery of the university's ambitious Transforming UCL project. The Wilkins Terrace is a unique facility delivered by UCL Estates and designed by Levitt Bernstein Architects to provide an adaptable social and events area for the whole UCL community. The design makes clever use of the available space and creates a flexible space for people to meet, chat, eat or study - as well as doubling as a facility for evening events, film screenings, exhibitions and fashion shows. The area is landscaped in Portland Stone, a natural, sustainable choice with a high fossil content that provides a textured finish and adheres to the strict guidelines for working on the Grade I listed building - the Portico area of the Wilkins Building itself having been built from Portland Stone Whitbed in 1829. The terrace area is 'carved out', creating connected areas on two levels. The project also includes the major refurbishment and extension of the Refectory in the undercroft of the Wilkins Building. Designed by Burwell Deakins Architects, this will become the largest catering facility on the Bloomsbury campus.