Greenwich.co.uk

Greenwich news and information

University Rugby Team Turn Calendar Boys

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The University of Greenwich rugby team have stripped off for to produce a calendar for the first time, which will help raise money for the team, and for charity.

Two versions of the calendar have been made – a family friendly version and a saucier, “adult” version. Both calendars cost £8.99 + P&P and are available to pre-order now. The official launch of the calendar is scheduled for the end of this month and some of the money will go towards sudden adult death syndrome (SADS) charity in memory of a former team member, Thomas Mulquin.

A spokesperson for the UGRFC said:

We decided to shoot our first calendar to celebrate many things. Firstly, our successful season last year where we were unbeaten and achieved promotion, resulting in our best season to date. Secondly, to raise the awareness of the club through all that we do in terms of charity, our matches and social activities. And lastly, to encourage support for our club and to help our steady rise, which we cannot do without the continued support of sponsors and the work of all the club members together. We hope you enjoy our first ever calendar as much as we did making it! And here is hoping there will be many more..

Update: the calendar is out now and the price has been cut. You can order online with the following links:

UK

Overseas

Heneghan Peng Chosen For Stockwell Street Project

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The University of Greenwich has appointed Heneghan Peng as architects for its new School of Architecture & Design in Stockwell Street at the site of the former Village Market. A selection panel chaired by Lord Rogered chose the Dublin-based company from a shortlist of seven.

Previous projects worked on by Heneghan Peng include the visitors’ centre for the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland, the Grand Museum of Egypt at the Pyramids and a bridge across the Rhine Valley in Germany.

Roisin Heneghan and Shih-Fu Peng say: “It is a dream and a privilege for an architect to be given the opportunity to be a part of this project on such an important site in the town of Greenwich. We look forward to working with the University of Greenwich and the local community to create a building that can provide a platform for the highest educational standards and make a positive contribution to the town and its residents.”

The University has promised to consult with local residents and businesses, and if all goes to schedule, the new buildings will come into use by the start of the 2013/2014 academic year.

Shortlisted Architects for Stockwell Street Redevelopment Announced

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Architects’ Journal has reported that the short list of architects for the proposed redevelopment in Stockwell Street by the University of Greenwich has been announced.

80 applications were received through the European Union’s tendering process, and they have been whittled down to the following seven architects:

  • David Chipperfield
  • Rafael Viñoly
  • Allies and Morrison
  • Bennetts Associates
  • Wilkinson Eyre
  • Schmidt Hammer Lassen
  • Heneghan Peng Architects
The prize at stake is the £60 million new school of architecture for the University of Greenwich at the site that was, until very recently, home to the much loved Greenwich Village Market and some office buildings. Previous plans for a mixed use development on the site were approved by the Council but the owners sold the site to the University of Greenwich rather than proceed with the redevelopment.
It’s worth visiting the article at the Architects’ Journal to see some interesting pictures of the current site that have been taken from the roofs of the existing buildings.

Greenwich Uni Acquires Stockwell Street Land

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Aerial view of Stockwell St land

A little while ago, via a cabbie that the University of Greenwich was interested in buying the land in Stockwell Street that had been home to the much loved Village Market, and the rather tired looking John Humphries House.

It turns out that the cab driver was exactly right, proving they really do have the knowledge, and the University of Greenwich has just announced the acquisition of the land in a £60million investment which will see the construction of a new library and a new home for the School of Architecture & Construction.

The University is launching a competitive process to select an architect who will be tasked with creating “an inspiring piece of contemporary architecture”. Preliminary work on the site will include the removal of existing buildings and archaelogical digs.

The University says it is committed to consulting with local residents and businesses, and that the development will be constructed to the latest environmental standards, with a low carbon
footprint.

The site had previously been ear-marked for a mixed use development containing flats, offices and shops.

UPDATED 5th March

The tender notice for this contract has been posted to the European Union’s Tenders Electronic Daily system. The details of the job spec put the estimated construction cost at £41million and aims to have an architect selected by the end of August 09.  The Memorandum of Information associated with the project says that the “University wishes to create educational buildings that are inspiring, flexible, adaptable and innovative, whilst at the same time sustainable. They should become a bench mark for the way that education can be delivered and must contribute to the built environment of the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage site“.

Aerial view of Stockwell St land
Map of the Stockwell Street site

University to buy Stockwell Street “Village Market” land?

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Has the University of Greenwich purchased the land at Stockwell Street where the Village Market is held? That was the question sent into me by Johanna, who heard this from a Cabbie – usually the best informed people in London.

The site in Stockwell Street, which includes John Humphries House and hosts the “Village Market” every weekend whilst being a private car park for the rest of the week has had redevelopments planned for it for as long as I can remember. In fact, I had an office in John Humphries House about four years ago and was told not to expect to stay too long as it would soon be demolished.

Plans by the developers – WestCity Plc and Capital & Counties Properties Ltd – for a mixed use development of flats, offices, shops and space for new market stalls were granted permission by the Council last year, and also got the nod from the Mayor of London and the Government Office for London.

But with new home building coming to a stand still, have the developers decided against going ahead with their plans? I contacted the University of Greenwich to find out if there was any truth in the rumour, and their spokesman told me:

“The university does have plans to move its School of Architecture & Construction to Greenwich and we have been looking for a suitable site for some while. Although we have been in talks with a number of landowners, we have not yet purchased a site.”

So, intriguingly, the Cabbie was half right – the University is looking for a site but no, it hasn’t purchased the land in Stockwell Street… yet!

What would you like to happen to the site in Stockwell Street? Would you like to leave it as it is – a private car park for five days a week and a market for two days – or do you think it could be more productively used?

Greenwich Uni Professor Gets OBE

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Professor Thomas Acton from the University of Greenwich has been awarded an OBE in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List. The academic who has worked at the University for over 30 years was given the award for his services to education.

Professor Acton is a sociologist specialising in Romani studies, and has been a long time campaigner for education for gypsy children.

Congratulations on your award Professor Acton!

Greenwich Uni and Cutty Sark Win Award

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The London Knowledge Transfer Awards 2008 were held on Friday, and there was good news for Greenwich. A collaboration between the University of Greenwich & Knowledge East working with the Cutty Sark Trust was the winner of the Knowledge Base Collaboration Award, as well as winning the overall “champion” award, the Knowledge Transfer Collaboration of 2008.

The pioneering partnership saw experts from the University of Greenwich use sophisticated computer models to work out the best way in which to dismantle and reassemble the ageing tea clipper as part of its major refurbishment.

The Knowledge Transfer Awards are supported by the London Developement Agency and are intended to recognise London’s Innovation in the business arena.