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Royal Academy of Engineering building accessibility statement

Building

Prince Philip House at 3 Carlton House Terrace is a Grade 1 listed, Regency-era building, designed by John Nash in the 1800s.

The building is an outstanding venue for events and boasts spectacular views, overlooking Waterloo Gardens to the north and St James’s Park to the south.

Prince Philip House has seven function rooms, which have no fixed furniture so that layouts can be adapted. It offers first-class catering services and high-level audio-visual facilities. If you would like to hire a space, you can find more information on the Prince Philip House site.

We are committed to treating people fairly. Every effort will be made to identify and remove any unnecessary barriers to participation.

If you need any support during your visit to Prince Philip House (such as access, assistance, alternative formats, interpreters, or accessible parking), please do call or email as far ahead as possible before your visit. You can contact our Facilities Manager, Ritchie Hepburn, at [email protected] or on +44 20 7766 0628.

 

Opening hours

9.00 am to 5.30 pm, Monday to Friday.

Entrance and reception

The building can be accessed in several ways:

a) walking up seven steps and through a large manual door to enter reception, or by walking up four steps and through an intercom-enabled door to enter the number 4 entrance.

b) by one of two ramps for wheelchair users. One is on an elevated path running parallel to the main entrance. The second is a wheelchair ramp accessed through the entrance to 4 Carlton House Terrace – please call +44 20 7766 0600 in advance if you require access via this entrance or write to the facilities There is an intercom at both front entrances of Prince Philip House, although the intercom at number 4 is slightly higher. This call bell goes straight to the reception desk staff should assistance be needed.

Mobility features 

  • Most of the main routes through the building are stone floor or short pile carpets, to allow for easier mobility.
  • There are three lifts in the building. The two main lifts go to every floor. The third lift is used for catering purposes but can be used to access the two main building lifts via the number 4 entrance. The two main building lifts sit beside each other. The larger lift has an opening of 1,100mm wide and is 1,400mm by 1,900mm. The second lift has an opening of 800mm wide and is 1,400mm by 820mm. The third lift on the number 4 side of the building has an opening of 900mm wide and is 1,400mm by 900mm.
  • Evacuation chairs are on site and the facilities team leads any safety procedures.
  • There are wall-mounted push pads on level -2 for electronic door openings. Assistance can be provided to open other large doors across the building.

Hearing impairments

Visitors with hearing impairments can access induction loops, which are fitted throughout the building.

The induction loop is an assistive listening system that provides access to facilities for those with hearing loss. It takes a sound source and transfers it directly to a hearing aid without background noise, interference or acoustic distortion.

Visual impairments 

Braille is included on all buttons in every lift throughout the building, as well as on the Wi-Fi password cards.

Each emergency lift button has a direct call centre response facility. The emergency button is visibly marked by an orange bell icon. There are handrails on the stairs throughout the building and on each side of the entrance steps.

All the lighting has dimmer switches as standard and there are large Regency-style windows in some meeting rooms that offer natural light.

Assistance dogs are welcome in the building. Please contact us ahead of your visit so that we can make the necessary arrangements. Please write to the facilities team or call +44 20 7766 0600.

Toilets and baby changing 

There are four accessible toilets within Prince Philip House, which can all be accessed by either of the two main lifts. The sizes vary:

  • Level 1 – the door opening is 900mm wide and the room is 2,200mm by 1,500mm.
  • Level -1 – there are two accessible toilets, one of which is in the women’s toilets. The accessible toilet in the women’s has a door opening of 700mm wide and the room is 1,500mmm by 1,000mm. The second toilet has a door opening of 1,000mm wide and the room is 1,800mm by 1,900mm.
  • Level -2 – the door opening is 900mm wide and the room is 2,700mm by 1,500mm.

All toilets have emergency alarm cords that reach floor level. All toilets can be accessed via the lift service.

Fire exits and evacuation procedures 

If required, the Fire Assembly point is 20 metres from the entrance and is at pavement level.

The Academy can develop a fire evacuation plan or PEEP (Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan) if needed. Please write to the facilities team or call +44 20 7766 0600.

The Academy holds regular first aid and fire marshal training. A managed fire evacuation drill takes place twice a year, and fire alarms are tested weekly.

Transport Links 

Train 

The nearest mainline stations are:

  • Charing Cross – 10-minute walk. The station and platforms are all on one level. There are ramps available and there are baby-changing facilities and national radar key toilets. Accessible taxis are located near the front of the station.
  • Victoria – 20-minute walk. There is paid parking here and mobility set-down and pick-up points, as well as step-free access from the train to the Underground and ramps for train access. The toilet facilities have a height adjustable changing bench, hoist and non-slip floors as well as baby-changing facilities.

The following stations are more than 20 minutes’ walk and offer national and international links. There are detailed access and assisted travel guides linked to Transport for London and national rail.

The nearest Tube stations are:

  • Charing Cross (Bakerloo and Northern lines)
  • Piccadilly Circus (Bakerloo and Piccadilly lines)
  • Green Park (Jubilee, Victoria and Piccadilly lines)
  • Westminster (Circle, District and Jubilee lines)

Charing Cross and Piccadilly Circus are a 10-minute walk, Green Park is 15 minutes, and Westminster is 12 minutes (15 if taking a step-free route). Green Park has step-free access from ground level to the platforms and trains. More information on step-free tube stations can be found on the Transport for London step-free guide.

Bus

The buses that stop closest to the building are the 12, 13, 15, and 453. Trafalgar Square and Piccadilly Circus are both about a 10-minute walk away, offering access to 20 more bus routes. For up-to-date information on bus services, please check the Transport for London website.

Car

  • There are several parking bays immediately opposite Prince Philip House, which include two accessible bays.
  • Bays can also be found two minutes away at Waterloo Place, which costs around £3.30 to £4.40 an hour.
  • Westminster City Council has other parking spaces with costs between £2.71 to £7.92 an hour in peak hours.

Prince Philip House in within the Congestion Charge zone. The charge is £15 a day and is in force between 7.00am and 6.00pm Monday to Friday and between 12.00pm and 6.00pm on Sundays and Bank Holidays. Blue Badge holders can register for a 100% discount.

Taxi

Carlton House Terrace is a well-known drop-off point for taxis, which can pick up and drop off right outside the building. Most black cabs have a level of wheelchair accessibility. When booking or stopping a cab it can be useful to share the access requirements to be effectively assisted.

Bike

A Santander Cycles docking station is located at Waterloo Place, which is around a two-minute walk from the Academy. Other bicycle hire providers in London include Lime and Freebike. Download the apps to check the hire fees. 

You can also store fold-up bikes at the Academy. Please ask at reception on arrival if this is required.

Catering

The Academy’s appointed caterer is CH&Co, which can cater for a wide range of allergies, dietary requirements and specific requests. As standard, the team provides information on the 14 major allergens, however the kitchen is not an allergen- or nut-free setting. There are several touch-free menu options and CH&Co can discuss additional adaptions and clear labelling if required.

The menus indicate vegan and vegetarian dishes. Any further dietary requirements should be discussed before the event with your event coordinator or meeting organiser.

Guests should confirm dietary requirements at least two weeks before an event.

Should there be a request for specific foods without notice, the team will do its best to accommodate all guests on the day.