Royal College of Music exchanges contracts for purchase of Markova House

Thursday 29 October 2015

The Royal College of Music has exchanged contracts for the purchase of nearby Markova House. The enlarged estate will allow for a substantial increase in practice rooms, as well as providing two large orchestral and opera rehearsal spaces.

‌Markova House, currently the headquarters of English National Ballet, is only metres away from the RCM’s iconic Blomfield Building. The final sale is expected to coincide with ENB’s planned move to London City Island in autumn 2018.

'The acquisition of Markova House is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for the Royal College of Music significantly to expand its offer to future students as well as the general public; underpinning the vision that access to high-quality music-making should be available to all' says RCM Director, Professor Colin Lawson. 'Together with the planned development of the RCM’s Blomfield Building, the acquisition of Markova House will contribute to a state-of-the-art creative infrastructure across both sites, supporting and the sustaining the RCM as a world-leader in music education for generations to come.'

Much of Markova House’s 16,000 square feet will provide a new home for the RCM’s leading Research department, offering a dedicated environment for work that includes research into the impact of music on health and wellbeing. Many administrative and academic staff will also move into the new premises, returning the unforgettable Blomfield Building into a space primarily for making music – an extraordinary environment for RCM students.

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