Great Hall

The Great Hall a conference room of over 370 square meters and over 13 meters in height is adorned with marbled columned walls, ornate gold leaf and embellished plaster.

An oak floor complements a stunning painted ceiling and two large crystal chandeliers at either end of the event room. There are seven floor-to-ceiling windows along the West wall letting in a lot of natural daylight and allowing for passers-by to gaze up and marvel at the magnificent ceiling and chandeliers.

Located next to the Telford Theatre, the Great Hall can accommodate up to 260 people for a sit down event or 400 for a stand-up reception. The room is the perfect setting for an awards lunch or dinner, product launch, a large meeting or conference or for an impeccable Wedding breakfast. The room is also near to the Smeaton, Council and Brunel rooms which are ideal spaces for a pre-event reception or meeting.

The hall provides a unique space in which to host trade or independent wine tastings for up to 300 people with space for 14 exhibitors.

The room was conceived as part of the building’s initial plans in 1904. The Civil Engineers wanted to create a large hall similar to the grand meeting rooms found at the Inns of Court in the City and to be comparable to impressive rooms such as Lincoln’s Inn. The painted ceiling and chandeliers were donated by a former president of the Institution of Civil Engineers as a reminder of the role the Institution and its members played during the First World War.

Many notable and historic special events take place in the Great Hall these include: the signing of the charter establishing UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) in 1945 and His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh sat in the room to take his Royal Navy examinations. Feature films including, Bridget Jones: Edge of Reason in 2004 and Starter for 10 in 2006 filmed scenes within the four walls. More recently the Great Hall has been used as a communications room for international journalists when the venue housed the London Media Centre for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. By way of providing a unique backdrop during recent London fashion weeks the following fashion houses showcased their seasonal collections here; L’Wren Scott 2013, Alice Temperly 2012, and Antonio Berardi 2010.