Macular Carotenoids & AMD 2011 takes place in the new Howard Theatre at Downing College, part of the historic 800-year-old University of Cambridge. More information about Cambridge is available here.

Downing College

Downing College, set among acres of lawns and trees, is within half a mile of the centre of Cambridge.  The buildings date back to the beginning of the 19th Century and are predominantly neo-classical in style, conveying a sense of elegance and spaciousness, enhanced by harmonious proportions, graceful columned porticos, and delicate pink and yellow stone.

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College History

Downing College was founded in 1800 under the will of Sir George Downing, Baronet (1685-1749), and the Royal Charter was issued on 22 September of that year.  Sir George’s grandfather gave his name to Downing Street in London and parts of the house, which he built, still survive in the present number 10.  The highly respected Georgian architect, William Wilkins, designed the College around a great quadrangle of 300 feet square.

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The Howard Theatre

Macular carotenoids & AMD 2011will take place in a new 160-seat theatre funded by a £7.2 million donation from The Howard Foundation.

The Howard Theatre creates a new court to the west of the College's main quadrangle, which already houses meeting facilities dating from 1986 and a 32-room accommodation building from 1994 principally funded by the Howard Foundation.

The Theatre is suitable for conferences, concerts, and theatrical productions. It also includes dining/reception rooms, associated catering facilities, meeting rooms and a full basement for services and storage.

It has been designed as an environmentally sustainable building. Made of stone, it uses ground-source technology to provide heating and cooling, solar panels to generate hot water and ‘harvested' rainwater for the building and surrounding landscaping. It is designed specifically to minimise heat loss and reduce noise pollution.

The design by Quinlan and Francis Terry LLP Architects continues the College's commitment to classicism as initiated by the College's first architect, William Wilkins (1775-1839).

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Cambridge

The City of Cambridge is located in the East of England, 50 miles north of London. It is well served by road and rail links, and is within easy distance of the major London airports.

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Cambridge is a unique and beautiful city. Visit Cambridge, the official tourist information website, describes Cambridge as ...'home of the famous University, carols in King's College Chapel and punting on the river Cam. Cambridge is a compact cosmopolitan city with outstanding architecture old and new. The beauty of its ancient centre is preserved with its walkable medieval streets, college courts, gardens and bridges.'

What’s on in Cambridge

Local secrets    Visit Cambridge website   Cambridge Openguides

More about Cambridge and the University

The University of Cambridge has commissioned a series of special podcast / MP3 audio walks  so you can find out all about Cambridge before you get here. In particular, you may be interested in a tour commissioned by the University as part of the celebration of its 800th anniversary in 2009:. Buildings. Lives and Legacies - A celebration of Cambridge University

More about the East of England

East of England Tourist Board

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