Ahead of UCL Illuminated and the launch of our bicentennial year, a ribbon-cutting moment marked exciting progress on our Main Quad in front of the Wilkins Building.
As UCL prepares to launch its bicentennial year with UCL Illuminated on Wednesday 11 February 2026 - a spectacular sound and light show celebrating 200 years of ideas, people and impact, we are delighted to welcome the community back to a revitalised Main Quad.
While work will continue in parts of the Wilkins Building and Gordon Street as part of the full Bicentennial Physical Legacy Works Programme , the major transformation of the Quad means that thousands of staff, students, alumni and visitors will be able to experience the refreshed space during UCL Illuminated. A small number of finishing touches will continue after the event, and full public access will be granted once this is all complete.
To acknowledge this milestone, a ribbon-cutting moment took place in our Main Quad last week, attended by Dr Michael Spence, President and Provost, alongside members of the UCL200 team and UCL Estates, including Professor Dame Hazel Genn, Pro-Provost (Bicentennial) and Charu Gorasia, Vice-President (Finance, Commercial and Estates) and Chief Financial Officer. The event provided an opportunity to recognise the progress made so far and to set the stage for the celebrations ahead.
Dr Michael Spence, President and Provost, reflected on the importance of re-opening this space:
This space has witnessed countless moments in our nearly 200 years of history, and it now stands ready for the generations who will shape our future. I am thrilled to welcome the community back to enjoy it as we begin our bicentennial year, and I cannot wait to see the many ways the space will enhance the student and staff experience.
Charu Gorasia, Vice-President (Finance, Commercial and Estates) and Chief Financial Officer, said:
The Main Quad is a key part of our Physical Legacy Works, designed not just for today but for the next century of UCL’s story. It reflects our ambition through sustainable materials, improved accessibility and more resilient infrastructure. I am deeply grateful to our Estates colleagues and external partners whose expertise and hard work have brought us to this important point in the project. "
Following the ribbon-cutting ceremony, colleagues from the UCL200 team and UCL Estates joined the President and Provost for a walkaround the Wilkins Building North Cloister and the newly refurbished Flexible Rooms. They met on-site contractors and explored part of the new UCL200 Exhibition: Two Centuries Here. Open until Summer 2027, the exhibition invites visitors to explore UCL’s origins and 200 years of ground-breaking research, innovation, education and impact. It runs across the North and South Cloisters, the Octagon Gallery , Japanese Garden and the Student Centre.
Professor Dame Hazel Genn, Pro-Provost (Bicentennial) said:
UCL Illuminated marks the beginning of a remarkable year for our community, and I am delighted that it takes place in the newly refurbished Main Quad. This week’s events are the first of many opportunities throughout 2026 for students, staff, alumni and visitors to join us in celebrating UCL’s extraordinary past and the future we are shaping together.
As our bicentennial celebrations begin, we look forward to welcoming our staff, students and alumni, as well as many partners and visitors to experience the transformed Quad and to join us as we begin a year that reaffirms our founding values, celebrates the excellence and impact of our people and work, and sets out an ambitious vision for the century ahead.
- (slideshow) Dr Michael Spence, President and Provost, cuts the ribbon in the Main Quad.
- (slideshow) Group photograph. From left to right: Hannah Milner, Director of Capital Programme, Estates. Charu Gorasia, Vice-President (Finance, Commercial and Estates) and Chief Financial Officer. Dr Michael Spence, President and Provost. Professor Dame Hazel Genn, Pro-Provost Bicentennial. Lucy Briggs, Programme Director Bicentennial.
- (slideshow) Group photograph. From left to right: Emma Barrett, Senior Project Manager, Capital Development, Estates. Hannah Milner, Director of Capital Programme, Estates. Charu Gorasia, Vice-President (Finance, Commercial and Estates) and Chief Financial Officer. Dr Michael Spence, President and Provost. Professor Dame Hazel Genn, Pro-Provost Bicentennial. Cassie McLean, Project Manager, Capital Development, Estates. Lucy Briggs, Programme Director Bicentennial.
- (slideshow) The new UCL200 commemorative stone installed in the paving of the Main Quad.
- The newly painted Flexible Room in the Wilkins Building featuring enhanced lighting and a new sound system.
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