Name: Lawrence Young
Job Title: Vice-President
Department: Executive Office

Can you tell us a little bit about your role?

I have a wide portfolio which includes oversight of capital developments on campus.

How have you been involved in the Oculus Building project?

I developed the original brief and concept for the building. Thus, I have overseen the building’s development from the beginning and chaired the group that has led the entire project.

What do you like best about the building?

It provides, for the first time, a standalone, flexible teaching and learning space to provide an inclusive educational environment for all. The project has been really inclusive – involving staff and students all the way through.

What challenges have you faced in your work on the building?

Budgets and timelines are always challenging. It’s required a lot of work from many folk – particularly our wonderful Estates Office, so we’ve had to put a lot of effort into coordination of the various phases.

Now that it’s open, what’s the next thing you’re working on?

In terms of capital development, the next big project is the Faculty of Arts Development – a new building for our Humanities departments. We have recently launched a design competition and have learnt so much from the Oculus project that we can now apply.