Architect-Led Visit to Cavendish Laboratory's New Ray Dolby Centre
Wednesday 25 February 2026, 10am-12pm
Join the Friends of Kettle’s Yard on a guided tour of the new Ray Dolby Centre building at the world-renowned Cavendish Laboratory by the project director, Jude Harris of Jestico + Whiles.
This £300 million complex on the West Cambridge Site is an impressive new addition to University of Cambridge science and represents a major boost to physics research in the UK. The state-of-the-art building provides flexible laboratory, office, teaching and public spaces and is named in recognition of the £85 million gift from the estate of sound pioneer Ray Dolby.
We hope to be joined on our visit by a member of the Department of Physics’ commissioning group to gain their perspective on the complex design process for determining the user requirements for this advanced science centre.
We shall also be visiting the nearby West Hub, an exciting multipurpose facility, also designed by Jestico + Whiles, which is open to both the University and the local community.
Ray Dolby Centre at Cavendish Lab
Officially opened last May, the Cavendish’s new Ray Dolby Centre is the largest of its kind in the UK. Both architecturally and technically complex, it spans 33,000 sq metres and contains 173 research laboratories, along with workshops, cleanrooms, offices and collaboration space. It has been designed to boost innovation in key areas such as semiconductors, quantum communications, new methods of disease detection and large-scale energy generation and storage. It also provides a new home for the Cavendish Museum, displaying objects such as Watson and Crick’s DNA model and the particle accelerator Cockcroft and Walton used to split the atom. The building was designed to high sustainability standards, achieving a BREEAM Excellent certification.
The nearby, architecturally-striking West Hub, also by Jestico + Whiles, is accessible to all University departments, as well as to the wider community to learn, collaborate and socialise through the flexible spaces it provides.
Jestico + Whiles
Jestico + Whiles are a leading UK-based architecture and interior design practice with wide experience in the school, university, laboratory and heritage sectors. Among their key projects have been Greenwich Millennium Village, the Rosalind Franklin Wing at St Paul’s Girls’ School, Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, restoration of Old Spitalfields Market, the Fortnum & Mason store in London, the National Graphene Centre at Manchester University and a staff HQ for the Imperial War Museum.
Transport & Further Information
Location: The Cavendish Laboratory Ray Dolby Centre, West Cambridge Site, JJ Thomson Avenue Cambridge CB3 0US.
Transport: The Centre is reachable by the University U (University) bus and parking is available at the Madingley Park & Ride, a ten minute walk away.
The visit starts at 10 am on Wednesday 25 February 2026. Precise joining instructions will be sent to those who have places. The visit will last approximately two hours.
All proceeds support Kettle’s Yard. Refunds are not possible, unless the event is cancelled by Kettle’s Yard. This event is now sold out, please email friends@kettlesyard.cam.ac.uk to join the waiting list.
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