Behind the lens
‘This Multifaith Centre started as a dream, then became a plan, and is now at last a reality!’
The use of space and natural light, create an island of calm at the heart of our Streatham Campus in the form of our latest new building. It’s a space conducive to prayer and contemplation, a place that encourages respect, community and inclusivity across all faiths and beliefs and connects us to the natural environment.
The new Sarah Turvill Multifaith Centre was built by contractor Willmott Dixon following a generous donation from Sarah Turvill, an alumna of the University’s School of Law and Chair of Council for a decade from 2012-2022. Sarah has generously provided transformational philanthropic support and played a key role in advocating for the Multifaith Centre, from the initial planning stages through to its completion. In recognition of this, the new building has been named in her honour.
The building houses a new 50 person Muslim prayer space alongside dedicated washing facilities which provide much needed room for prayer preparation: an important cleansing step for many faiths. There is also a multifaith space which provides the opportunity for quiet reflection, as well as being used for various services and events. Communal meeting spaces and facilities for use by the Multifaith Chaplaincy team, afford the opportunity for quiet contemplation, but also encourages inclusive collaboration, which is at the heart of this project. This extends out on to the external terrace, where planting will blend the Multifaith Centre into its surroundings and offers staff and students the opportunity to sit and reflect on topics that matter to them most, host exciting events, or simply enjoy a quiet sanctuary at the heart of Streatham Campus.
Our University embodies a culture of respect and diversity and the Multifaith Chaplaincy team cares for the entire University community, creating a sense of belonging and an environment in which everybody is valued. Our chaplains provide a safe space to talk, and offer a confidential and non-judgmental listening ear, as well as supporting a range of faith activities and events. The Students’ Guild, local faith leaders and the Chaplaincy team have all contributed to the plans and design of the new building and are thrilled to welcome you all to the new space.
Ramona Nash, Multifaith Chaplaincy Coordinator at the University of Exeter said: “We are excited to have this new building on Streatham Campus for students and colleagues of all faiths and worldviews, religious or not, to grow spaces of community and belonging together. The Multifaith Chaplaincy team look forward to welcoming our university community through food and hospitality, opportunities for quiet reflection and prayer, conversation and activities. This Multifaith Centre started as a dream, then became a plan, and is now at last a reality!”
Sustainability and reducing carbon emissions have been fundamental both to the design and the construction of the building, with Passivhaus principles in effect. This certification, literally ‘passive house’ in English, refers to buildings created to rigorous energy efficient design standards, alongside carbon reduction, better air quality and even building comfort.
It begins with the striking expanse of copper coloured tile cladding, covering the clay blocks that make up the skin of this building. The clay porotherm blocks use around 95% less water than traditional construction materials, are lighter than concrete and therefore less carbon intensive for transport, and materially pose no threat to the environment. These remarkable blocks reduce heat loss to increase performance and efficiency, and can even be recycled, should the need arise. Air source heat pumps reduce carbon emissions from the building even further and a series of roof mounted PV panels take advantage of the building’s sunny location next to the Forum.
That same location places the building at the very centre of life at the University, complementing the facilities in the Forum to create a centre dedicated to our student community, and placing respect and inclusion at the heart of our campus, as part of our Strategy 2030 values.
