The University of Bristol’s new Sloane Robinson Building has opened at the Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus, marking a major new chapter for the University and creating a distinctive new destination for conferences, meetings and events. 

The 38,000-square-metre building sits alongside Bristol Temple Meads and forms the centrepiece of the University’s new campus. Its opening coincides with the launch of a new £23 million eastern entrance at Bristol Temple Meads, improving connections between the station, the campus and the wider Temple Quarter. 

For event organisers, the building offers a range of flexible spaces designed around collaboration and active learning. These include the 300+ Bill Brown Lecture Theatre, one of only a small number of ‘in the round’ lecture theatres in the UK, alongside 22 Active Learning Studios and a range of specialist and flexible spaces. 

The building can accommodate a variety of event formats, from conferences and presentations to workshops, training sessions and networking events. Its central spaces and facilities also provide opportunities for exhibitions, informal meetings and collaboration. 

A large yellow staircase above a large open space

The Sloane Robinson Building is designed to bring together students, researchers, businesses and community partners. Around 4,500 students and 650 staff will use the building, with teaching and research focused on areas including business, innovation, digital engineering, artificial intelligence, cyber security, advanced telecommunications and quantum technologies. 

It is also home to the Bristol Innovations Zone, a new hub designed to connect industry, investors and innovators with University research, talent and facilities. Businesses will have access to flexible co-working and event spaces, specialist labs, equipment and innovation support. 

The building’s location adds another dimension for event organisers. The new eastern entrance at Bristol Temple Meads creates a more direct connection into the Temple Quarter, while a new harbour walkway provides additional walking and cycling routes through the area. 

The opening is part of the wider transformation of Bristol Temple Quarter, one of the country’s largest urban regeneration programmes. The new campus is intended to create a more connected environment where education, research, business and communities can come together. 

For organisations looking for a conference or events venue with a strong connection to innovation and industry, the Sloane Robinson Building offers a new option in one of Bristol’s fastest-changing areas.  

For venue information, availability and pricing, visit www.bristol.ac.uk/venues/ or contact uob-venues@bristol.ac.uk / 0117 428 4000.