Coventry University building named after Delia Derbyshire

Delia Derbyshire worked for the Radiophonic Workshop for 10 years and is known for her work on the Doctor Who theme

A university will honour music pioneer Delia Derbyshire by naming its new arts and humanities building after her.

The Coventry-born composer was best known for her work with the BBC's Radiophonic Workshop and on the Doctor Who theme tune. 

Coventry University chancellor Dr Margaret Casely-Hayford described Derbyshire as an "iconic influencer on the city and the arts industry".

She was awarded a posthumous honorary doctorate by the university in 2017.

The Delia Derbyshire building will combine the former Graham Sutherland and Maurice Foss buildings, which are being refurbished with a new extension.

It will open in phases, starting in September, and will fully open in 2023.

The new faculty building will include a gallery space, café and events atrium

Derbyshire, who was born in 1937, was largely uncredited during her career with the Radiophonic Workshop.

But the university said her work during the 1960s and '70s "paved the way for women working in the music production business".  

• Delia Derbyshire - BBC 100

• Women of the Workshop - BBC 100

• Delia Derbyshire and the BBC Radiophonic Workshop

David Butler, trustee of the charity Delia Derbyshire Day which honours the composer, said she "changed the way listeners and viewers in Britain and beyond think about sound and the sonic possibilities in the world around us".

He also said she was "inspired by the soundscapes she experienced in her home city" and the new building would continue her legacy by inspiring others to explore their "creative spirit".

BBC composer and sound designer Mark Ayres, who acts on behalf of the Delia Derbyshire Estate, said she would have been honoured and humbled to have her name associated with a building designed to educate and encourage future generations.