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Harrow Green was appointed to relocate the University of Cambridge’s Department of Physics from the historic Cavendish Laboratory to the new Ray Dolby Centre, a world-class research facility within the Cambridge West Innovation District.
The project included the transfer of teaching laboratories, research groups, professional services, libraries and specialist scientific facilities, alongside highly sensitive laboratory equipment, chemicals, gases and office environments, all while maintaining continuity for teaching and research.
The Challenges
Key objectives included:
- Protecting sensitive scientific equipment with strict vibration and handling tolerances
- Safely transferring hazardous materials
- Aligning moves with academic calendars and building handover schedules
- Ensuring research and teaching could resume immediately.
The relocation presented significant technical and operational complexity:
- Sensitive equipment handling, including cryostats, optical tables and analytical instruments requiring specialist lifting and transport solutions
- Hazardous materials transfers managed under DGSA supervision with full certification
- Programme dependencies, balancing academic deadlines with construction and commissioning delays
- Multi-stakeholder coordination involving university teams, OEM engineers, contractors and facilities partners.
The Solution
Harrow Green implemented a structured relocation strategy combining detailed planning with flexible delivery:
- Extensive surveys, asset cataloguing and readiness assessments across both sites
- Phased relocation aligned with teaching schedules
- OEM-supported decommissioning and recommissioning of specialist equipment
- Specialist lifting equipment and protective packing for delicate assets
- DGSA-led compliance management for chemicals and gases
- Contingency planning to adapt to programme changes without impacting safety or cost.
Strict sequencing, engineering validation pre-and post-move, ADR documentation, and controlled handling processes ensured programme certainty within a live, multi-contractor environment.
Highlights
The relocation was delivered successfully within agreed programme milestones, achieving:
- Zero incidents or equipment damage
- No unplanned downtime to teaching or research
- Full regulatory compliance throughout
- Seamless transition into a state-of-the-art research environment.
The Ray Dolby Centre now supports enhanced collaboration, advanced teaching facilities and next-generation physics research.
Client Feedback
“Harrow Green’s professionalism, flexibility and collaborative approach were instrumental in making this migration a success.” – University of Cambridge Representative
Client: University of Cambridge
Location: Cambridge
Sector: Life Science Education Sector
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