The Reading School of Art has started the academic year with a new home in the heart of Whiteknights Campus.
The Reading School of Art has moved from its former home at TOB1 on the Earley Gate side of campus to the redundant Central Kitchen Building close to the centre of Whiteknights campus. University of Reading Art students can now enjoy a community art space, workshops and an abundance of natural lighting, ensuring it’s the perfect spot for students to get creative.
Professor John Russell, Head of Reading School of Art, said of the move:
“Moving to a new building has been exciting for everyone, it has provided us with more space and vastly improved our facilities to teach and carry out research.”
The building made its debut as the new Art building on Friday 15 September – just in time for Welcome Week and the arrival of our new cohort of students at Reading. Work to refurbish the Central Kitchen Building and add an extension to the east of the building began in January 2023 with TOB1 throwing its last hurrah in June 2023 before closing its doors for good.
The two-storey building features purpose-built gallery space to allow students and community artwork to be displayed throughout the year, as well as workshops for activities such as ceramics, screen printing, and wood and metal work.
The building will also feature new studios and a visitor space.
“It has been fantastic welcoming in our students to our new home – to a space that allows them to exercise their talents to produce exciting new artwork, and a space where we can invite the public in to witness it,” said Professor Russell.
The new School of Art building is connected to the nearby Energy Centre to provide a renewable energy supply, and solar panels will be installed on the south-facing roof. There are additional windows to allow natural light into the teaching and studio spaces, and cycle provision outside.
Did you study Art at the University of Reading? Share your memories and photos with us at alumni@reading.ac.uk.
