Renewing the Heart of John’s: Binks Hall

Editor and Coordinator, Ella Guy, interviews the Principal about new plans for the John’s Old Library.

It is well-known news by now that work is being done on the John’s Old Library, but what is happening there has for some of us been a bit of a mystery. I had the pleasure of speaking to the Principal, Jolyon Mitchell, about the new plans for the space.

The Old Library was originally the ‘New Chapel’ in the 1950s. Now, it is taking on another identity as ‘Binks Hall’. The Old Library will be transformed into a space that can be used by all Johnians, and the community beyond. This communal space will host teaching, lecturing and seminars, as well as performances, worship and more. Not only will it entertain the 300 people who live in John’s, but the function of the space is also to encourage the 600 who live out of college to want to return to John’s more often.

The renovation is part of a wider project called ‘Renewing the Heart of John’s’, which will also include renovating Leech Hall and connecting it to Binks Hall. While Leech Hall is being refurbished, Binks Hall will then be used as a temporary replacement for that space, meaning that – so long as all goes to plan – events will begin to be held there in the Spring. The hope is that Binks Hall will be open by May, if not before.

There have been several ideas for the transformation of the Old Library. The first was to turn the building into offices, where free offices would have been turned into bedrooms, and another was to replace it with a building mirroring the Garth. However, although these options would have generated income for the college, the decision was made to go with the plan of a communal space because it is a place that can be used by so many more people and serve a much wider, collective, educational purpose.

When, upon more accurate estimates, it was discovered that this would be a more costly project than originally anticipated, John’s went fundraising and found the Binks Trust, who generously agreed to co-fund it with a sum of £400,000. This sum effectively matched what the college is putting towards the project; altogether it will cost around £900,000.

A variety of features have been considered. The space will be accessible, there will be double-glazing and soundproofing, and air source pumps will be installed, which will make it environmentally sound and easier to keep warm.

Chris Courtman, as the bursar and Finance and Operations Director, is leading the project, and Ian Jackson, being in charge of estates, is heavily involved in the project. The plan for Binks Hall was developed by a committee, which includes Jolyon, Oliver as SJCR President, Chris, and Cindy from Cranmer Hall, who all worked as a team to create a practical plan.

What students should be most aware of during the build is that the area around Crossroads is temporarily closed off for their safety, and while this may be an inconvenience in the short term, any hazards would certainly be more of an inconvenience. Jolyon is keen to make clear that the end result will be well worth it, and not only will it be an amazing space for students to use so soon, but it will also be something which will continue to be useful to many cohorts of students.

Most excitingly, John’s is working with Gresham College, whose professors, specialising in a wide range of subjects, such as music, astronomy, maths, theology, business and medicine, put on ‘world-class, public, free lectures’. The college was set up in the sixteenth century with the aim of making education more widely available. The idea for the collaboration is that there will be a ‘Gresham in the North’, which will be held at St John’s College. There will be a pilot of four lectures with top academics from all over the country. The ‘state-of-the-art filming’ in Binks Hall will mean that these lectures can be filmed and enjoyed even more widely. Gresham also has a schools outreach, so Binks Hall will also be beneficial to sixth formers who wish to enjoy the lectures. Another partnership will involve Rose Castle, a centre for reconciliation, which John’s are looking at holding some joint events with.

What Johnians can expect to gain from Binks Hall is a shared space with a range of events that will hopefully bring in students from outside the campus. Ultimately, as Jolyon puts it, the Old Library ‘was originally built on the generosity of donors, and we now have the generosity of more donors […] This is an amazing gift we have been given, and the aim is that we use it well and that we use it generously.’