• LDA Design appointed to master plan new UCL (University College London) development on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park • UCL East is a key part of the 'Olympicopolis' cultural and educational district involving the Victoria and Albert Museum, UCL, University of the Arts London and Sadler’s Wells • CL East will realise UCL’s vision to create a university centre of the future with world class facilities in the south of the Park

The London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) has today (Monday 11 May) announced that LDA Design has won the competition to develop a master plan for a new 125,000 sq m campus for UCL (University College London) on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. This location will allow new and exciting initiatives to be developed by UCL, one of the world’s leading universities.

The first phase of UCL East is expected to feature a collection of innovative knowledge centres, bringing together cross-disciplinary expertise from the arts and humanities, engineering, design, culture and social sciences. These centres could provide: pioneering new approaches to experiential learning in engineering, alongside prototyping and manufacturing; space focused on participatory design and heritage practice, with opportunities for public engagement; facilities for open innovation focusing on the intersection between humans, their social interactions and technology; and an innovative living spaces providing a glimpse of the future of living in modern knowledge economies.

LDA Design is leading a team including:

• Nicholas Hare Architects
• BuroHappold
• Momentum Transport Planning
• EC Harris
• Soundings
• Studio Weave

The consultancy beat off stiff competition from four short listed teams to win the master plan contract. The 4.5 hectare UCL master plan is backed by the Legacy Corporation and will be located south of the ArcelorMittal Orbit and the Zaha-Hadid-designed London Aquatics Centre.

Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: “This decision fires the starting gun on the delivery of detailed plans for UCL East, which we believe will be another glittering jewel in the world class constellation of intellectual and cultural riches taking shape in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.” 

Professor Michael Arthur, UCL President & Provost, said: “The appointment of LDA Design is a key milestone in our plan to create a new centre for academic research and translation at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. UCL East will be an outstanding and dynamic environment for learning, breaking down the conventional barriers between research, education, innovation, public engagement and collaboration.”

Selina Mason, Partner at LDA Design, said: “On behalf of our world class team, we're delighted to have been selected for this unique opportunity to design a campus for one of the world’s leading research universities. It will be an exemplar of how universities will work in the future: a place and institution which is genuinely accessible, outward looking, integrated into the community, and a setting for collaboration. ”

The detailed master plan will be developed over the coming months. Procurement exercises for detailed design services and public realm for the UCL East campus will be launched during summer 2015.

The Legacy Corporation will be the Contracting Authority for the master planning, securing planning permission and delivery of the academic elements to shell and core. 

Ends

For more information contact the Press Office at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on +44 (0) 20 3734 9010 or email press@QueenElizabethOlympicPark.co.uk 

Media contacts
UCL Press Office contact - Dr Rebecca Caygill, Direct line: +44 (0)20 3108 3846, Mobile: +44 (0)77 3330 7596, Email: r.caygill@ucl.ac.uk 
LDA Design media contact – Sophie Eastwood, Holistic, Direct line: 020 7979 7742, Mobile: 07709 359 529

Notes to editors

Olympicopolis
In December 2013 the Mayor unveiled his vision for ‘Olympicopolis’ which takes its inspiration from the achievements of Prince Albert, who used the proceeds of the 1851 Great Exhibition to create ‘Albertopolis’ – the 86 acre site around Exhibition Road in South Kensington that is today considered one of the world’s pre-eminent scientific, educational, artistic and cultural hubs. The Mayor’s aim is that this will be a dynamic new hub for 21st century London, attracting prestigious institutions and businesses to the site to foster collaboration and innovation. As well as creating new visitor attractions, it will seek to attract knowledge based industries to the Stratford site, linking to Tech City, Here East and beyond. It’s projected that the cumulative effect of these plans will generate 3,000 jobs in the Park and an extra £1.8 billion of economic value from the area. 

London’s newest visitor destination, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, is a place unlike any other. Visitors to the Park are able to enjoy beautiful parklands and waterways, world-famous sporting venues, arts and events and spectacular views from the ArcelorMittal Orbit. As a new heart for east London, the Park will also provide new homes, jobs and a cultural and education quarter.

The London Legacy Development Corporation promotes and delivers physical, social, economic and environmental regeneration in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and the surrounding area, in particular by maximising the legacy of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

For more information visit QueenElizabethOlympicPark.co.uk, follow us on Twitter @noordinarypark and like us on Facebook facebook.com/QueenElizabethOlympicPark 

LDA Design 
Founded in 1979, LDA Design is an independent design, environment and energy consultancy business. By taking a holistic approach, it helps clients to regenerate communities, create special places, realise development and commercial goals, and manage resources. 

With experience on urban, rural and historic projects, its clients include developers, land-owners, regeneration agencies, government departments, local authorities, renewable energy firms and educational establishments. 
For more information visit the website: www.lda-design.co.uk. 

About UCL (University College London)
UCL was founded in 1826. We were the first English university established after Oxford and Cambridge, the first to open up university education to those previously excluded from it, and the first to provide systematic teaching of law, architecture and medicine. We are among the world's top universities, as reflected by performance in a range of international rankings and tables. UCL currently has over 35,000 students from 150 countries and over 11,000 staff. Our annual income is more than £1 billion.
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