THE latest building in the expanding Bournemouth University estate has been officially opened.

BU chancellor Kate Adie marked the formal opening of the Poole Gateway Building, which sits on the Talbot Campus near Boundary roundabout.

The building contains a range of technical teaching facilities for students on undergraduate and postgraduate courses, as well as facilities for research work.

It features two multi-camera TV studios, a film studio and sound stage, music studios, a cinema to view student-made films, edit suites, sound suites, music studios, green screen and motion capture studios for animation.

John Vinney, BU vice-chancellor, said, “These new facilities provide a fantastic environment for our students and staff to work together across science and technology, media and communication.

“We continue to invest in our staff and in our facilities as part of our BU2025 strategy to be recognised world-wide for our vibrant learning community.”

The official opening of the building was attended by BU board members and senior leaders, as well as representatives from the students’ union, and the building’s key contractors, including Wilmott Dixon.

BU’s chancellery, council leaders, local mayors, school leaders and Talbot Village Trust trustees were also among the guests at the opening, as well as a range of other companies that helped in the building’s construction.

The building accommodates new animation, games and music, PC and Apple Mac laboratories, equipped with industry-standard software and the latest post-production editing eco-system, allowing collaboration to take place between students working on group projects.

Opening the building, Ms Adie said, “When good buildings are built, the students get a sense of the place, and a sense of grandeur; that is something that makes people in this town and in this county proud.

“[For] the people who will come to work and to teach, and especially those who come to learn here, what a wonderful, wonderful place this is to be – I think we are very lucky.”

The building has achieved a Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Methodology (BREEAM) ‘Excellent’ rating for its sustainability, with the building designed to be as environmentally-friendly as possible, including a number of carbon-reducing measures in place.