Monday July 15th, 2013 – Durham University has selected the renowned international architect who produced the master plan for Ground Zero, New York, to design a new building for its world-leading Physics researchers.

Daniel Libeskind, of Studio Daniel Libeskind (SDL) was also the architect for the Jewish Museum in Berlin, the Imperial War Museum North in Manchester, Denver Art Museum and the Run Run Shaw Creative Media Center in Hong Kong. 

The architect will design a new landmark building for Durham University’s Ogden Centre for Fundamental Physics, which houses the University’s internationally-leading Institute for Computational Cosmology and Institute for Particle Physics Phenomenology.

Physics and Astronomy at Durham University were recently ranked in the World Top 50 in the prestigious QS World Rankings by Subject.  The new building will ensure the best possible facilities continue to maintain the University’s global profile for physics research and teaching.

The Ogden Trust, founded by Sir Peter Ogden, an alumnus of Durham’s Department of Physics, is a major donor to the project, and other alumni have invested in the project as well. 

The building will be located next to the current Physics building on South Road, Durham. The current timetable for completion is by December 2015, subject to planning permission. 

The boost for the local economy is anticipated to include an estimated 50 jobs for contractors during construction.

Professor Martin Ward, Head of the Department of Physics at Durham University, said:  “We are very excited to have selected renowned architect Daniel Libeskind to design this building, which we believe will be an asset not just for Durham University but for Durham City itself.

“It is intended that the building will complement the traditional buildings and landscape and it will also meet the highest industry standards for sustainability.”

Durham University has an exceptional international academic and public profile for Physics and Astronomy.  Research projects cover topics such as black holes, dark matter and the detection of new galaxies, along with investigations beyond the currently understood and accepted theory of physics, known as the Standard Model, which explains how particles interact.  

Daniel Libeskind said:  “Durham University is a place with both great history and great vision. I am delighted to have been selected to design the new Department of Physics building.
“This building will serve as a state-of-the-art facility and will be an exciting new presence in the cultural and educational scene of Durham.”

Background notes:

• Ten years ago, the Ogden Centre for Fundamental Physics was built at Durham University with funding from The Ogden Trust, the Government and the University.  The Centre has been so successful internationally that a new phase of development is needed to accommodate a growing number of staff and students and the demand for new facilities. 

• The Ogden Trust has pledged £2m plus a further £1.35m in matched funding.  The University will make a contribution and is also fundraising from other external donors. 

• The new building will be subject to the full planning applications process with Durham County Council and full consultation will be carried out with stakeholders, including University staff, students, and local residents.   

• The current estimated timescale involves building beginning in Summer 2014 and being completed by the beginning of the 2015/16 academic year, subject to the granting of planning permission. 

• The New York-based SDL was selected following a rigorous European Union procurement process, which saw major international companies competing for the opportunity to build a new centre for Physics at Durham University. 

About Durham University

Durham University is a world top-100 university with a global reputation and performance in research and education. The most recent UK league tables place Durham in the top echelon of British universities academically. Durham is ranked in the top 5 UK universities in the influential Sunday Times University Guide 2013; is 26th in the world for the impact of its research (THE citations ratings) and 20th in the world for the employability of its students by blue-chip companies worldwide. We are a residential Collegiate University: England’s third oldest university and at our heart is a medieval UNESCO World Heritage Site, of which we are joint custodians with Durham Cathedral. Durham is a member of the Russell Group of leading research-intensive UK universities. www.durham.ac.uk

Durham University’s Department of Physics: Durham is one of the leading physics and astronomy departments in the UK. More information: https://www.dur.ac.uk/physics/

The Institute for Computational Cosmology: the ICC is a leading international centre for research into the origin and evolution of the Universe, including the formation of galaxies and the nature of dark energy and dark matter. More information:http://www.icc.dur.ac.uk/

The Institute for Particle Physics Phenomenology: the IPPP is a world-leading organisation in the study of particle physics phenomenology, providing the theory and analysis behind experiments carried out at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in Geneva. More information: http://www.ippp.dur.ac.uk/

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