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Multi-Faith Centre project

Multifaith Chaplaincy

The multifaith Chaplaincy team constitutes a team of faith leaders from a wide variety of faith backgrounds and world views, including Baha’i, Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism and Islam. Find out more here Multifaith Chaplaincy | Equality, Diversity and Inclusion | University of Exeter

The University is planning make a significant investment to create a new, flexible and inclusive Multi-Faith Centre in the heart of Streatham Campus.

The proposal is to build a dedicated Multi-Faith Centre to replace the existing Muslim prayer rooms and multi-faith spaces in the Old Library and to create a new space for quiet reflection and multi-faith activities, which promote respect, community and inclusion.

Planned for location on the grassed area opposite the Forum’s South Piazza, next to Poole Gate Road, the building will include a 50 person Muslim prayer space and a multi-faith space for quiet reflection, services and events. It will also house communal meeting space, a kitchen, a dedicated office for the Multifaith Chaplaincy Team and an external terrace area.

The proposed location for the Multi-Faith Centre has been chosen as it will complement the facilities in the Forum, encourage maximum use of the space, make it central to the student community and promote respect and inclusion.

The University is committed to supporting diversity, inclusion, culture, heritage and creative life in Exeter and the region, and the plans for the Multi-Faith Centre align with University’s Strategy 2030, under the values of Respect, Community and Inclusion. 

The Students’ Guild, local faith leaders and the Multifaith Chaplaincy team continue to be involved in the plans for the new building.

Sustainability and reducing carbon emissions are fundamental to the design of the new Multi-Faith Centre. The University is committed to embedding its low carbon targets on this building, including reducing regulated carbon emissions, through a combination of sustainability initiatives in the design, construction and maintenance phases of the new building. The building is also to achieve Passivhaus Classic Certification which drives rigorous low-energy design standards, significantly improving building comfort, air quality and energy use, with greater carbon reduction. It is intended to construct the building from low carbon Porotherm clay blocks, incorporate high levels of insulation including triple glazed windows and have high air tightness performance. The building will also benefit from air source heat pumps and PV solar panels on the roof.   

If you would like to sign up for a site visit please complete the form and we will be in touch. Site Visit Form 

Flythrough MFC website ready

Watch the project flythrough video, which shows an artist impression of what the building should look like. 

Upcoming works

Below you will find an update on the construction work happening for the next few weeks, including advanced notice of possible disruption in the area. 

We hope you find this update helpful and it allows you to plan your activity on campus where possible. 

Please note, the Old Library car park is closed for the duration of the project. Please review the map below to see the location of accessible car park spaces.

The footpath on Poole Gate Road will be closed for the duration of the project and diversions are in place.

Below are details of the upcoming works: 

Please note, the dates below and information are updated regularly but are subject to change on short notice, due to working with external contractors and suppliers. 

Date

Details

Noise levels

Mon 29 April to Fri 10 May

Scaffolding will continue to be erected externally on site and internally in a grid-like format to allow the team to work safely at different heights. Block work will also continue to take place to construct the external walls of the building. This is being done by a Porotherm building system using large clay blocks.

Small diggers will be operating to the south of the site create ducts to connect underground services.

This will create medium noise.

No work on site on Bank Holiday Monday 6 May

Medium


 
Please note, the image below shows where the construction controlled area and compound will be located on campus. It also highlights where the nearest accessible spaces* are and pedestrian routes throughout the duration of the project. Vehicle’s will still be able to access Poole Gate Road, but this will be controlled. 

 

MFC site and accessible access image v3‌

 

*Two replacement blue badge parking bays have been set up on the cobbled area adjacent to the Bill Douglas Cinema Museum. This is shown below

Disabled parking spaces Old Library - web page‌

 

The project has been developed to date by Faithful and Gould, Group Emmett Design, SE3Design, Sands, SDS and ARUP.   

 

The building is being created by our appointed contractor Willmott Dixon. 

 

Contact us

Darren Davis is the Project Manager for the project.

If you have any queries or questions about the project please email campusdevelopment@exeter.ac.uk and we will get back to you.

For information of the Multifaith Chaplaincy, please visit: www.exeter.ac.uk/students/chaplaincy/