London’s newest university campus will be opening its doors to give potential students and members of the community the chance to take a behind-the-scenes look at the transformation taking place at the Grade II listed building.
CU London and Willmott Dixon Interiors are inviting people to take a first glimpse of the work being undertaken at the Civic Centre, in Dagenham.
Coventry University has awarded Willmott Dixon Interiors a £4.5 million contract to create its new CU London campus at the Civic Centre, breathing a new lease of life into the building.
The ‘live’ construction site is set to be opened to the public on March 30 and 31 as part of the Open Doors initiative, which gives people the chance to discover how the buildings in their community are constructed and find out about the diverse range of skills and professions needed on site.
It will also be the first chance for potential students to take a look at the on-going work at the campus, which will open in September this year.
Visitors will be shown the site offices, the demolition work that has taken place and will be given an idea of the final layout.
Andy Ginn, interim director of CU London, said: “Open Doors is an excellent community initiative and we look forward to welcoming people to the Civic Centre.
“It will not only give visitors a chance to find out more about the careers available in construction, but also give potential students the opportunity to take a first look at the work taking place and find out more about what we have to offer”.
“The Civic Centre is an iconic east London landmark, and local residents may also be interested to take a look at the work underway at the Grade II listed building”.
“The building is being transformed into a cutting-edge learning environment and we are delighted that Willmott Dixon has selected the site to be part of Open Doors.”
Based upon a high-quality and low-cost career-focused model of higher education, CU London will offer lower fees and more flexible learning options, and applications are now being accepted.
Mike Hart, chief operating officer of Willmott Dixon Interiors, said: “We are really pleased to be working with Coventry University and Open Doors gives potential students the opportunity to see the transformation of the Civic Centre into a modern and inspiring learning space. This will also give those who wish to get into construction the opportunity to learn about different routes to get into construction”.
Open Doors tours will take place at the Civic Centre on March 30 and 31 between 2.30pm and 3.30pm, and those taking part will be issued with the relevant health and safety clothing if required.
Places must be booked which can be done by visiting www.opendoors.construction//site/483/
Willmott Dixon Interiors offers a range of services including refurbishment and category b fit outs.