Great Hall

The Great Hall, a conference room of over 370 square metres and over 13 metres 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 have taken place in the Great Hall including the signing of the charter establishing UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) in 1945. King Charles III also sat in the room to take his Royal Navy examinations in his youth. The room can be seen within feature films such as Bridget Jones: Edge of Reason and Starter for 10. The Great Hall was 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 London fashion weeks the following fashion houses showcased their seasonal collections here; L’Wren Scott, Alice Temperly and Antonio Berardi.