King’s, as so many other Cambridge Colleges, must not only preserve its historic rooms and buildings in which so many of our great thinkers have studied, taught, and been inspired; but also ensure that its remarkable collections and cultural heritage are protected and developed for the generations to come.
King’s is immeasurably privileged to be on a historic site at the heart of Cambridge, with buildings of unsurpassed beauty and architectural importance. But with this privilege comes a responsibility to protect and enhance what has been bequeathed to us, and to make it fit for the next generation.
The Gibbs Building, first occupied in 1732, has seen famous residents from Rupert Brooke to Provost MR James and Dean Eric Milner-White. It continues to house many Fellows’ rooms for supervisions, and often represents the first encounter with King’s for prospective students. It is central to the life of the College. Following an external renovation in recent years, the interior of Gibbs is in urgent need of refurbishment.
The building most associated with King’s is the Chapel - not only one of the world’s most recognisable buildings, but also home to one of the world’s most renowned and best-loved choirs, whose distinctive sound is shaped by the Chapel’s unique acoustics and organ. The Choir does not have a dedicated endowment fund, and we need to establish an endowed Fellowship for the Director of Music along with new endowed choristerships.