UCL Main Building
The Main Building of University College London, facing onto Gower Street, Bloomsbury, includes the Octagon, Quad, Cloisters, Main Library, Flaxman Gallery and the Wilkins Building. The North Wing, South Wing, Chadwick Building and Pearson Building are also considered part of the main UCL building.
History
In 1827, a year after the founding of UCL, construction of the main building began on the site of the old Carmarthen Square. The Octagon Building is a term used for the whole of the main building, but more commonly for a central part of it.[
Octagon
The Wilkins Building is a term used for the whole of the Main Building, but more commonly for a central part of it.[citation needed] The Octagon dome houses the central hall of the University Main Library, which contains casts from the John Flaxman casts collection, and a mural depicting the construction of UCL in a mythical scene with Jeremy Bentham overlooking the plans.
Front Quad
Facing Gower Street, the Front Quadrangle, abbreviated as the "Quad", is an enclosed square of paths, grass and a few disabled car parking bays. There are a large number of benches as well as two decommissioned astronomy observatories.
Cloisters
The enclosed north and south cloisters connect the Octagon dome to the north and south wings of the quad respectively. They are one of the main thoroughfares of the College, and accommodate a series of exhibitions and events throughout the year (for example shows from students of the
Wilkins Building
The Wilkins Building refers specifically to the part of the building built during the lifetime of the architect
Main Library
The Main Library contains UCL's collections relating to
References
- ^ "Landmarks in UCL's History". Archived from the original on 20 February 2009.
- ^ "Jeremy Bentham finds new home in UCL's Student Centre". 24 February 2020.
- ^ "University College (University of London) and Attached Railings to North and South Wings". Historic England. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
- ^ "Two Observatories in University College Quadrangle". Historic England. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
- ^ UCL Library Services – Main Library