The William Gates Building
View from the east, January 2002
Partly funded by the William Gates III foundation, and named The William Gates Building, the new University Computer Laboratory opened in September 2001. It replaces cramped accommodation on the New Museums site in Central Cambridge, and is the first building of the West Cambridge Master Plan to be completed. In May 2002 it was announced that the building had won a RIBA Award. You can watch a movie of this building being built.
The building is the result of an architectural competition held in 1998 and won by RMJM London. It contains teaching space for several hundred undergraduate and graduate students, a library, machine rooms, research laboratories and a cafeteria. Attention has been given to the right degree of separation between undergraduate, postgraduates and academic/research staff. The circulation space is to promote meetings and discussions. The building now houses a multidiciplinary group of occupants including Intel, CEC and a division of the Faculty of Engineering.
The architects have incorporated many environmentally friendly features into the building, such as using the heat generated by the computers inside to supply most of the heating for the building. Many of the issues in the construction revolve around making the building virtually air tight to keep heat in. A chilled beam system (cooling radiators positioned at height) reduces the ambient temperature overall. A substantial grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has helped to fund the project.
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Building Facts |
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Gross Floor Area |
10,100 sq m |
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Cost |
£20 million |
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Energy Use |
100KWh/sq m/year |
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Architect, Structural Engineer and Building Services |
RMJM London Ltd |
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Main Contractor |
Shepherd Construction Ltd |
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Quantity Surveyor |
Gardiner and Theobald |
Picture Gallery
The Computer Laboratory close to completion on 26th September 2001. The front, showing the covered cycle racks.
The Computer Laboratory close to completion on 26th September 2001. The south west corner, near to the entrance to the Cavendish Laboratory.
Inside the Computer Laboratory, March 2002. Photo: Alex Labeur
Computer Laboratory Links
University News Item 1/11/00
University Press Release 26/10/00
Old Martin Centre Computer Lab Project Site (for historic interest only)
University Reporter 9th December 1998
Report of Council Discussion 19th January 1999
BBC Quake II Report
BBC Quake II Report - archive
New Building means end of web coffee pot