51³Ô¹ÏÍø

Leaders from business, research and government joined 51³Ô¹ÏÍø staff last night for the launch of the vision for 51³Ô¹ÏÍø West

Leaders from business, research and government joined 51³Ô¹ÏÍø staff last night (6 March) for the launch of the vision for 51³Ô¹ÏÍø West, a new seven acre campus in White City, west London, which will become London's first major research and translation quarter. 

51³Ô¹ÏÍø's President & Rector Sir Keith O'Nions showcased the centrepiece of the new campus, a £150 million Research and Translation Hub, and laid out the College's vision for a £1 billion innovation eco-system where 3,000 researchers will work to solve the scientific challenges of the future. 

The project was hailed by Mayor of London Boris Johnson and Universities & Science Minister David Willetts who both spoke at the launch, held on the College's South Kensington Campus. 

David Willetts, Minister for Universities & Science, said: "This is absolutely the right way forward for 51³Ô¹ÏÍø. It’s to the wider benefit of the community, but it is of particular significance for London. We’re used to thinking of London as a great legal centre, as a great financial centre, as a great centre for culture, theatre and the arts, but London is also one of the world’s great centres for universities and science”

Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, delivered a wide-ranging speech, observing that London has been a source of scientific inspiration for centuries, with the first TV set, first machine gun and Darwin’s theory of evolution being among the developments that have sprung out of the city.

He said: “London is emerging as the innovation and scientific capital of the world. And our ambition – my ambition as Mayor – is to keep driving that process on and to accelerate it.

“Here at 51³Ô¹ÏÍø you’ve got the right answer, which is to capture the flash of inspiration, harness the bang and convert it into wallop for the London and the UK economy – and that is what you’re doing at 51³Ô¹ÏÍø West.

“You’ll be following in the footsteps of all the innovators at 51³Ô¹ÏÍø that have made it the greatest scientific institution in the world.”

Business, industry, NHS and global university partners were invited to seize what Sir Keith called “a once-in-a-generation opportunity” to co-locate at 51³Ô¹ÏÍø West and collaborate directly with 51³Ô¹ÏÍø's world-leading experts in science, technology, engineering, medicine and business. 

Councillor Nicholas Botterill, Leader of Hammersmith and Fulham Council, was among the supporters of 51³Ô¹ÏÍø West featured in a film about the new campus unveiled at the event. He said: 

“White City is a brilliant part of London and one of the best connected. It's absolutely fantastic that 51³Ô¹ÏÍø has decided to expand here. 51³Ô¹ÏÍø West is an exciting venture and will bring around three thousand jobs to the borough. We're already home to some world leading enterprises and businesses and 51³Ô¹ÏÍø's increased presence will be a great boost for our vibrant community.”

After the keynote speeches, 51³Ô¹ÏÍø staff got the chance to sample architectural plans for 51³Ô¹ÏÍø West in . The campus-shaped cake, which took over 80 hours to make and contained more than 30kg of sugar paste, was cut by Deputy Rector Professor Stephen Richardson who emphasised that 51³Ô¹ÏÍø West's success will not be down to impressive facilities alone, but to the talented people who will work in them.

showcasing construction plans for the campus and local community, alongside displays highlighting some of 51³Ô¹ÏÍø's most exciting research, innovation and spin-out companies. 

Boris Johnson and David Willetts were especially taken by the chance to don Harry Potter-style invisibility cloaks developed by 51³Ô¹ÏÍø physicists working with metamaterials. The Mayor and Minister were astonished to find their bodies become almost completely see-through on screen. 

Other 51³Ô¹ÏÍø research and translation activities on display included ultra-efficient rechargeable batteries from Nexeon, microchips incorporated with DNA analysis from DNA Electronics, synthetic biosensors, new appetite regulation technology, and realistic simulations of hip replacement surgery. 

Read more about 51³Ô¹ÏÍø West.

51³Ô¹ÏÍø West Slideshow (photographs by Thomas Angus and undergraduate Ben Lester)