The College of the Arts and Society building at Coventry University has been renamed The Delia Derbyshire building in memory of British electronic music pioneer Delia Derbyshire. Born in Coventry in 1937, Derbyshire studied at Cambridge University before joining the BBC’s Radiophonic Workshop, where she co-composed the Doctor Who theme tune. She went on to become known as “the sculptress of sound” before passing away in 2001.
The renamed facility includes metal and woodworking spaces, digital technology suites, and post-production studios. In addition to traditional lectures, it will host events related to sound, such as panel discussions and sound masterclasses. The building was launched by Deliaphonic, a group of enthusiasts who have hosted events honouring Derbyshire in the past.
Describing the building as an environment for creative experimentation, University Dean Shaun Hide expressed his hope that it will help produce the “next Delia Derbyshire”. Hiding was referencing the school’s ambitions to uncover 100 students who “are doing things we can’t even envisage yet”.
Derbyshire’s career was heavily influenced by the period she spent as a child in Coventry, where she was inspired by the sounds of air raid sirens during the Second World War. In 2016, a street in the city was renamed in her honour and the following year, she was awarded a posthumous honorary doctorate
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