Actor and comedian Hugh Dennis returned to one his favourite roles, Chancellor of the University of Winchester, to officially open its newly refurbished Martial Rose Library (MRL).
The Outnumbered star cut the ribbon at the new-look library which has undergone a massive makeover thanks to £5.8 million of capital funding from the Office for Students (OfS).
As he took up the ceremonial scissors, Hugh said: “I’m delighted to be the Chancellor of this university, because I think it is an amazing university, and I think this library is just the latest achievement. I’m delighted to be here to honour everyone’s work that has gone into making this a reality.”
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Before the ribbon-cutting, the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Sarah Greer thanked all who had been involved in the project which had re-imagined the library to reflect and adapt to the changing needs of students and staff.
“It is a more energy efficient, more accessible, fantastic new learning resource for our students,” said Professor Greer.
The Vice-Chancellor explained that the design concept had given each of the library’s three floors its own distinct character to match the different requirements of students during their three-year learning journey at the university.
The top floor is a supportive environment; the middle level has more collaborative spaces and the bottom floor is a more professional area to prepare students for the world of work.
Hugh, who is currently appearing in The Importance of Being Earnest in the West End, accompanied the Vice-Chancellor and other VIP guests on a tour of the new facilities.
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They were shown a mock classroom with interactive digital whiteboard where student teachers were practising a lesson, the Makers’ Space with 3D printer and programmable mini-robots, the Digital Humanities area with an 86-inch computer screen to magnify texts and diagrams, and virtual interview rooms.
The Chancellor also saw the reset rooms where stressed students can curl up in comfy chairs, the Book Garden chill-out space with sofas and jigsaws, and the Courtyard Kitchen self-service refreshment area.
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Chancellor Hugh Dennis and Vice-Chancellor Professor Sarah Greer with Martial Rose's children Jenny and Chris
Two other special guests were at the ceremony - Jenny and Chris Rose, the children of Martial Rose after whom the library is named.
Martial Rose was the Principal of the University’s forerunner King Alfred’s College for 17 years, during which time he oversaw the construction of many of the buildings on the King Alfred campus including the library.
An exhibition on his life and work is currently on show at MRL.
Hugh admires the Digital Humanities screen
About the refurbishment
The refurbishment of MRL saw conventional book shelving replaced by roller rack shelving to make room for a variety of study spaces and areas for group and collaborative work.
New double glazing, insulation, ventilation, and lighting has made MRL a more pleasant place to study and more energy efficient.
Accessibility has been improved by adding a new, larger lift to the building's core.
The main contractor was Beard Construction and the design was by ADP Architecture.
To minimize disruption, the two-year project was divided into phases so part of the library could remain in use.
More than 100,000 books (enough to fill 2km of shelving) had to be removed and returned by Crown Workspace, a specialist moves and relocations provider. Every book was scanned and tagged by university staff before it was packed and wrapped for storage at a facility in Fareham.
The University recycled or reused many items of furniture to avoid waste. TracoUK, specialists in environmental and socially responsible removals, clearance and storage, worked closely with Wagstaff, the provider of new furniture, to minimise vehicle movements and reduce the carbon footprint of the operation.
The project team also included JDP Building Services Consultants, and Scott White and Hookins Structural Engineers with Rider Levett Bucknall providing contract and cost management consultancy.
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Hugh meets students using one of the new collaborative spaces
About Martial Rose:
Martial Rose was principal of King Alfred’s from 1967 until his retirement in 1984.
During that period he presided over a major period of growth in student numbers - only around 700 when he first took office - and the opening of many new teaching and residential facilities, among them the Tom Atkinson and Stripe buildings and the first two-storeyed phase of the present library.
Martial also steered the college through a time of major changes in government policy and institutional upheaval in higher education and to give it a significantly different future under the umbrella of the CNAA, the new validating body set up in the 1970s for degree courses in the non-university sector.
Under his leadership, King Alfred's became a successful diversified liberal arts college of higher education with BA as well as BEd degree courses – from this solid foundation the institution was able to develop a flourishing research culture and attain university status.
About Martial Rose Library
The existing Martial Rose Library was built in two parts. The original 1970s was given a £3.2m extension in 2004.
The 21st century addition was the first major building to be constructed on the King Alfred campus under a new development plan launched in 1995 as King Alfred’s College began its evolution into today’s University.