Plans to transform the historic core of the University of Aberdeen’s King’s College campus have been given the green light by Aberdeen City Council
The plans to enhance facilities in King’s Quarter include the creation of a new flagship atrium, creating a central forum space with connections to surrounding buildings.
There will also be enhancements to the interiors of several areas, including the Old Senate Wing, Book Stack and Cromwell Tower.
The available space at Aberdeen’s King’s Quarter is currently underused, and the development will revitalise disused buildings, safeguarding their future use with new teaching and learning space.
As well as helping the university modernise its teaching spaces to accommodate new learning styles, it will also maintain the facades of these historic buildings.
‘Providing a modern, adaptable, high quality teaching environment’
Professor Alan Speight, Vice principal (Global Student Recruitment), who leads on the King’s Quarter and Johnston Halls redevelopment plans, commented: “Today’s decision by the planning committee marks a milestone in our transformational plans to create a vibrant learning environment at the historic heart of the campus, and will provide a focal point for engagement with the local community.
“These new spaces will provide a modern, adaptable, high quality teaching environment for undergraduate and postgraduate students that will be ideally suited to working across academic disciplines, in line with the interdisciplinary aims of our Aberdeen 2040 strategy.
“I am pleased that in their recommendation to the planning committee, the planning officers noted our careful consideration of the historic environment to enable underused listed buildings to be brought back into productive use, which reflects the detailed work we have undertaken on the proposals over the past two years.”
Professor George Boyne, university principal, added: “With work on our new Science Teaching Hub well advanced, and planning approval now granted on both our King’s Quarter and Business School developments, we are making significant progress towards meeting the needs of modern students with contemporary, adaptable and technology-ready facilities that will continue to attract the best andking’s quarter aberdeen brightest to Aberdeen.”
