Our refurbishment of the Kathleen Lonsdale Building (KLB) for UCL has come to a close; this was ceremoniously marked last month at the official opening which featured a full day with Sir David Attenborough.

As well as consolidating the Department of Earth Sciences into one building after over 50 years of separation, the scheme provides modern teaching and research facilities, including lecture spaces, offices and high-specification laboratories. Due to its historical significance – the building is Grade II listed – we revealed and restored original features wherever possible.

The official opening was also a showcase for the ground-breaking research being undertaken by the various departments now located within KLB. Celebrations on the day included formal tours of the building, an audience with Sir David Attenborough, as well as remarks by Kathleen Lonsdale’s son, Stephen Lonsdale (the building is named after the first female Professor at the college).

Sir David ended the day’s proceedings by unveiling a plaque within the newly refurbished central staircase of KLB, at which point the Department of Earth Sciences also presented him with a model of a newly discovered plankton species, named after his Blue Planet series.

A UCL student put together a short film about the launch – watch it here.