BDP has won the competition to design the University of Strathclyde’s new £89m Technology and Innovation Centre (TIC) The building constitutes the cornerstone of the new International Technological Renewable Energy Zone (ITREZ); a global economic hub bringing innovative businesses to Glasgow to sit alongside the University of Strathclyde.
The TIC will bring together 850 academics, researchers, engineers and project managers from the University and its leading industrial partners to work side by side in a state-of-the-art building in the heart of Glasgow.
Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond, who launched the centre at the University on 11 March, said: “The University of Strathclyde’s Technology and Innovation Centre is a transformational project for Glasgow, building on Scotland’s great tradition of innovating new technologies and developments in fields including energy and engineering while creating and supporting hundreds of jobs.
BDP’s John McManus, project director in the Glasgow studio said: “We are absolutely delighted to be involved in this ground-breaking development which will transform the way universities work with industry. We are particularly excited to be working in the heart of the Merchant City on a site that is practically next door to our Glasgow Studio. We look forward to working with the University and Scottish Enterprise to create a Technology and Innovation Centre that establishes a world-class research and knowledge exchange environment for the city”
The aim of the 22,000 sq m Technology and Innovation Centre is to facilitate change in the ways that the university and industry engage. TIC is the University’s single-biggest investment in research capacity and has attracted financial backing from Scottish Enterprise and the Scottish Funding Council. The building will facilitate research and knowledge exchange activities by incorporating flexible project, meeting and office space, alongside e high quality research and laboratory accommodation including clean rooms, world class equipment, specialist laser optics materials laboratories and high voltage facilities.
BDP is lead designer in the Gardiner and Theobald-led project team and it is anticipated that work on TIC will begin early in 2012 with completion expected in late 2013. The building will be of high quality and will aim to meet the criteria for an “Excellent” BREEAM rating.
