Rockefeller Building
The refurbished Rockefeller building brings cutting-edge teaching facilities under one roof with clinical treatment spaces, as the new home for the Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê Eastman Dental Institute (EDI).
![Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê's Rockefeller Building A photo of the exterior of the Rockefeller Building](/estates/sites/estates/files/styles/large_image/public/rockefeller_exterior.jpg?itok=oN4Kh8DB)
15 May 2024
Overview
The listed building, designed by Paul Waterhouse and originally opened in 1907, was the original home of the university’s Medical School and Nurses Home. The Eastman Dental Institute had simultaneously outgrown its original home at 256 Grays Inn Road. The Rockefeller was given a considerable technical and interior upgrade to bring it up to the standards required of contemporary dental education. The Rockefeller building has a smaller footprint than the former site at 256 Grays Inn Road but supports more teaching spaces, meaning more places can be offered to students for the well-subscribed school. The EDI is now home to around 350 postgraduates and 60 PhD dental students, alongside more than 120 academic, technical, and professional services staff. Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê also offers short courses to clinical professionals for in-career learning at the EDI.Ìý
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Refurbished in line with feedback from students and what they require from their Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê experience, the Rockefeller is now a new home for the faculty, where students have a single base for their time as undergraduates as well as a site of further learning at postgraduate level and beyond.ÌýÌýÌýÌý
Impact
After refurbishment, the EDI has become the largest occupier of the building, which it shares with the Medical School, Grant Museum of Zoology, Cancer Institute Pathology, and the Institute for Women’s Health.
The project required significant re-configuration and refurbishment of a large part of the building. Technical modifications were made across five floors with major service upgrades and a new roof plant freed up space in the rear courtyard. These changes supported multiple air changes every hour in clinical areas to support a rigorous level of hygiene. This is a leading standard for the industry and is an additional line of protection against transmission of airborne particles including the Covid-19 virus.
Sustainability
The redesign of the site enables step-free access via lift to every floor and most of the building, including the 8 clinical practice rooms. The remodeling of the interior includes toilets located near the ground-floor entrance which support wheelchair users, users who need assistance, and facilities for baby changing.Ìý
The building has improved insulation and energy efficiency, whilst increasing electrical supply and preserving the original historic features and structure. The Rockefeller Building is in good shape as it approaches 130 years of service.ÌýÌý
![Laboratory at the EDI people learning in the clinical laboratory](/estates/sites/estates/files/styles/non_responsive/public/rockefeller_lab_1.jpg?itok=4vhfKQma)
What's happened to the Eastman Dental Institute's original home?
Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê is building a centre for Neurology and Dementia research at 256 Grays Inn Road, behind the facade of the original Royal London Hospital, which was formerly the home of the Eastman Dental Institute.Ìý
Find out more about 256 Grays Inn Road
Architects andÌýcontractors
Lead Architect: Burwell ArchitectsÌý
Structural & Civil Engineer: Aecom
Services, Fire & Acoustics Engineer: Hoare Lee
Quantity Surveyor: Mace
Project Manager: ArcadisÌý