This £5m ambitious new building, supported by a generous donation by Beko Plc and several other donors, will not only provide state-of-the-art teaching and learning facilities but will become a hub for local, national and global collaborations in the spheres of social enterprise, engineering, technology and education.
Marlborough College and Beko have a shared vision to educate the scientists and innovators of the future who will go on to make a difference and find novel solutions for some of the world’s most pressing problems. It is hoped that the building will inspire scientific instincts and galvanise research and development.
Marlborough and Beko also share a passion for sustainability and the building benefits from clever environmental design, employing a thermally efficient envelope, photovoltaic panels, natural ventilation, excellent daylighting and reduced water consumption. The generous floor to ceiling heights will provide opportunities for the construction of large-scale prototypes, promoting new and exciting ways of exploring ideas, unconstrained by standard classroom sizes.
Over 50 people attended the opening event, including the generous donors who supported the project and the staff who made the building happen. They enjoyed a morning of speeches and demonstrations which showcased the College’s vision for the future of Science, Technology and Innovation both within our curriculum and in outreach programmes and external collaborations. Pupils from the Lower Sixth explained how they have been training with the Young Guru Academy to use their award-winning Twin Science and Robotics kits with our local primary school partners in classroom sessions which will commence this month.
The College’s partnership with Beko will leverage the advanced capability of Beko’s Research and Development facility in Cambridge and will extend and grow both parties’ existing academic outreach and partnership programmes. It is also hoped that collaborations with business and HE can be facilitated in the future through the Cambridge Network.