King’s Cross, Bloomsbury and Euston are home to a phenomenal collection of resources for the mind. Within a mile radius of the iconic spires of St Pancras station sit eight higher education institutions, over fifty museums, galleries, libraries and archives and nearly a hundred thousand students.
It seems strange to think that until very recently, this remarkable concentration of inspiring people and places had not been officially galvanised as ‘a thing’. Well, that finally changed two years ago with the formation of the Knowledge Quarter, an idea incubated and then set free by an enthusiastic but small team based in the British Library.
And, just as it celebrates its second birthday, founding member the British Library has announced 100,000 square foot of new space for learning, exhibitions and public use, including a new northern entrance and bespoke headquarters for the Alan Turing Institute, the national centre for data science research.
These days clusters – and bodies to promote them – are seemingly popping up in every town or neighbourhood, left right and centre, but the KQ surely stands out among them all for the sheer diversity, quality and scope of the member organisations.
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Within just a few hundred metres you can find knowledge resources ranging from the world’s earliest books and manuscripts to the new frontiers of digital communication; from the latest fashion and creative designs to local community outreach charities, and from cutting-edge medical research to collections of artefacts dating back to London’s former generations.
Growing rapidly, from an original thirty-five members to recently hitting number eighty, and with such a dizzyingly broad remit, it would be easy for the KQ to fail to define its purpose clearly enough. In fact, quite happily, the opposite is proving true. The recent launch of the Knowledge Bank, a digital tool for connecting members who are geographically close, but perhaps working in wildly different disciplines, proves that the organisation is really finding a positive role beyond simply championing the area’s collective cerebrally-focused prowess.
The KQ has also been behind various public events, particularly the free Curious? (sic) festivals in Granary Square, giving member organisations such as The Guardian and the Francis Crick Institute a chance to interact with locals and visitors in the real world, and share in the excitement of their different fields.
With knowledge and information very much the currency of our age, the coming years should be even more significant for the Knowledge Quarter and its expanding list of partners. As a member organisation ourselves, we look forward to covering what happens next in the pages of Gasholder. If you’ve got a positive story to tell about the spread of knowledge in the area, feel free to get in touch. More info on the website
Top 5 Things to do around the Knowledge Quarter
1. Visit the Sir John Ritblat Treasures in the British Library, which hosts more than 200 beautiful and fascinating items: magnificent hand-painted books from many faiths, maps and views, early printed books, literary, historical, scientific and musical works from over the centuries and around the world. It’s free and open to the public: I would encourage anyone to pop in and explore the highlights of the British Library’s collections.
2. Take advantage of our fantastic open spaces and public realm including Camley Street Natural Park (pictured above), Cartwright Gardens, Russell Square, Granary Square and St Pancras Old Church.
3. Check out the Japanese Roof Garden at SOAS, University of London, open to the public. The garden provides an area away from the bustle of London streets, where visitors can relax and meditate. The garden is dedicated to Forgiveness, which is the meaning of the Kanji character engraved on the garden’s granite water basin.
4. See dance performances at The Place (17 Duke’s Rd WC1). Converted from a stunning Grade-II listed Victorian drill hall built in 1889 for the Artists Rifles, it’s led the way in the development of contemporary dance in the UK. Artists from all over the world come to experiment and to perform outstanding new work for a diverse audience.
5. Probably the best kept secret in London is The Royal Veterinary College (RVC, 4 Royal College St NW1) anatomy museum, where you can view skeletons and learn about veterinary science. While not open to the public permanently, do look out for their special open days or head online where you can view the collection (onlineveterinaryanatomy.net). Jodie Eastwood
Jodie Eastwood is the chief executive of Knowledge Quarter
