Twenty two years after its original
construction, the Møller Centre’s latest project is an impressively planned
extension. Jude Clarke of the Cambridge News spoke with general manager Stuart
Websdale about the iconic building:
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| image courtesy of Cambridge News |
“When we do things we do them well:
we don’t do half measures.” So said Stuart Websdale, general manager of theMøller Centre when we spoke recently about the centre’s exciting new building
project. And the more he explained about the centre’s unique approach, the more
apparent this became.
Originally built in 1992, the
centre, an internationally renowned leadership development, meeting and
conference centre, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Churchill College. The
iconic original building, constructed with a generous donation by the Danish AP
Møller & Chastine Mc-Kinney Møller Foundation, was purpose-designed for
training and took the form of a ship, the lecture theatre representing its
bridge and the east end of the accommodation block its bow.
Since then, the centre and its
services have thrived, winning awards including the prestigious Queen’s Award
for Enterprise in International Trade for outstanding achievement in the
delivery of its bespoke international Executive Education programmes, and many
customer service and conferencing awards. The centre is also home to Møller PSF
Group, one of the leading consultants to professional services firms.
Hosting on average 15 events a week
in its meeting rooms, 80 per cent of which are residential, and now employing
over 100 experienced members of staff, the decision was taken, driven by the
ever-growing demand for their style of learning provision and facilities, to
expand the bedrooms, as well as office and catering space.
As Stuart explains, however:
“Because of the iconic architecture and location on the beautiful grounds of
Churchill College, a straightforward building extension was not an option.”
Careful planning, combined with thoughtful consultation and engagement with the
wide range of stakeholders was essential. With Stuart managing the project, a
phased approach was implemented, ensuring that the centre could continue with
“business as usual” throughout the build, with minimal impact on client events,
neighbours and the rest of the college.
Another key aspect of the project
was the determination to use the right consultants and suppliers. Wherever
possible, local expertise has been involved so that – as Stuart puts it – “we
weren’t bringing in lots of external resource that didn’t understand Cambridge
and the values of The Møller
Centre. We wanted consultants on
our doorstep”.
Keeping the extension very much in
the spirit of the original 1992 build, a member of the original internationally
acclaimed architectural firm – Henning Larsen, in Denmark – was engaged to develop
the concept before the project was handed across to the Cambridge design team.
“Remarkably we have also been
fortunate enough to work with several people from the original build team
including a member of Cambridge Council building control, a member of the local
roofing firm who installed the original copper roofing and our trusted furniture
supplier who provided the original batch of iconic Hans Wegner chairs, tables
and light fittings.”
One small detail that perhaps
encapsulates the impressive care and attention to detail exhibited across the
whole of this project is that of the hoardings. A few eyes were initially raised
when the boards, erected to screen off the construction areas, were painted a
vivid green. Drive along Madingley Road, however, and the reason soon becomes
very clear. Situated as they are on such a verdant site – surrounded by the
lawns and trees of Churchill College – it’s a successful and sympathetic camouflage,
minimising any visual impact on the area.
And with the project on track for
completion by its scheduled deadline in March, what new facilities will the
extended centre be able to provide? As well as an additional 21 luxury bedrooms,
all with a specification comparable to a four-star hotel, there will be a new
training and refreshments area, with original meeting rooms re-modelled and doubled
in size, a spacious landscaped patio, one of Cambridge’s most advanced kitchens
and a brand new reception lounge. As well as the enlarged office space, the
outdoor areas have been extensively landscaped as well. Such care has been taken
to maximise outdoor space that the official Grand Launch has been planned for June,
when the longer daylight hours will show off this impressive new addition in
all its glory.
It certainly is an impressively
thought-out project, and one that, ultimately, reflects the thoroughness, professional
approach and the importance that has always been placed on the twin pillars of
customer service and quality by The Møller Centre over the last 22 years.
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