Creating new spaces for collaboration and community in White City

The latest from Imperial's White City Campus, as development progresses and the larger masterplan forms.

One of the wonderful things about science and technology is that it’s difficult to predict where avenues of experimentation might ultimately lead. One of the most famous examples is that of Imperial’s own Alexander Fleming, who whilst working on the properties of staphylococci bacteria at St Mary’s, returned after a holiday to find penicillin mould had infiltrated one of his petri dishes and destroyed some of the bacteria. Thus was born the era of antibiotics and modern medicine.

Now at the White City Campus, we could be on the cusp of designing new drugs from scratch using techniques such as synthetic biology and dial-a-molecule chemistry.

Planning for the future needs of scientists can be particularly difficult, but one of the key aims of White City has always been to provide the flexibility and room to accommodate whatever new advances lie ahead in the next 30–40 years. As science and technology continue to push the boundaries of what is possible, it is also important that we involve wider society in that journey and look for new ways to engage and inform.

Below: A map of Imperial's White City Campus and the surrounding area. Click here or on the image below for a more detailed map.

Shaping up

For the past five years, Wood Lane Studios has provided accommodation for some 600 postgraduates; but it won’t be long before the north part of White City is bustling with Imperial staff and collaborators going about their day-to-day work of research and innovation.

The now complete Translation and Innovation Hub (I-HUB), which provides space for start-ups and international corporations, is attracting a growing list of tenants. Imperial’s ThinkSpace, which runs the I-HUB, recently signed an agreement with workspace provider Central Working. The first tenant at Central Working will be OGCI Climate Investments – a start-up with $1bn of funding to invest in technology to accelerate the development of emission reduction technology.

In the coming months, the Invention Rooms on Wood Lane will open its doors, allowing people from the local community to collaborate with our staff, students and partners in turning creative ideas into reality. Inside the building, there will be a Reach Out Makerspace where young people living in the local area can get hands-on experience of prototype development. There will also be an Advanced Hackspace with workshop facilities for our staff, students and partners to turn research ideas into breakthrough prototype products. Lastly, there will be an interaction zone where local people and College partners can connect with Imperial’s research.

Impression of the invention rooms

Next year, the Molecular Sciences Research Hub (MSRH) will open as a new home for research from the Department of Chemistry – marking the latest step in an journey that began with the creation of the Royal College of Chemistry at Hanover Square in 1845. The MSRH will provide a new way of working for up to 800 molecular scientists, clinicians, engineers and commercial partners.

Research areas will include understanding disease, prevention and cure on the molecular level; harnessing molecular science for clean sources of energy; and creating materials for the twenty-first century. Also, by creating a new facility dedicated to molecular research, the College can explore opportunities to improve and expand teaching at South Kensington.

In 2019, the Michael Uren Biomedical Engineering Research Hub will open, pioneering a new approach to biomedical research and bringing together over 500 engineers, clinicians and scientists to develop new and affordable medical technology.

The first and largest facility to be located within the building will be the biomedical engineering hub. This will be led by co-directors Professor Anthony Bull, Head of the Department of Bioengineering; and Professor Justin Cobb (Surgery and Cancer), Chair in Orthopaedic Surgery.

Next phase

While construction on the north site continues apace, the masterplan for the larger south site of Imperial’s White City campus is starting to take shape (see also page 10). This site presents some unique challenges and opportunities, with major dual carriageway roads immediately to the north and east of the site (A40 Westway and A3220) and rail lines immediately to the east and west. It means that connectivity – with the north site, to Hammersmith Campus as well to the rest of the White City area – is crucial. It’s a key principle of the south site masterplan to provide common spaces to support community and collaboration, with cafes, restaurants, shops, exhibition space and other cultural facilities where people can meet and share ideas.

Sketch of the central space of the south site, looking north

Professor Neil Alford, Imperial’s Associate Provost (Academic Planning), said: “We are making a long-term commitment to create a world-leading research and innovation campus in White City. Our new campus will provide space to expand our work and offer new collaborations with business and academia, as well as the local community and other partners. We want to gather input to feed into our proposals for the southern part of the campus, involving our community at an early stage and long into the future.”

Read an interview with the architect masterplanning the south site of White City Campus