The Stephenson Building:
World-Class Design
Discover how our new £110m building will use sustainable design to create an open, inclusive, creative and entrepreneurial space for our engineering community.
Merging heritage with enterprise
The redeveloped Stephenson building will be the place for future engineers, researchers, designers, and visionaries to come together and tackle world challenges together.
Stephenson will be the home for people who make things work.
An inventive team of architects, designers, engineers, and builders is transforming the current building. Built in the 1940s, it will become a state-of-the-art gateway to innovation and design.
Sustainable by design
We’re dedicated to making the world a better, greener place to live and work.
The sustainable design for the new Stephenson utilises many initiatives to reduce the carbon footprint of the project and the building’s life thereafter.
The design reduces embedded carbon in the building fabric through:
- use of a timber structure for the fourth floor
- reuse of half of the current building floor space
- highly efficient use of floorspace
Reducing in-use carbon
We're substantially reducing in-use carbon through:
- utilisation of the CHP (Combined Heat & Power) plant
- reduced heat loss using high air tightness levels
- minimised use of mechanical ventilation
We're promoting more sustainable behaviours of occupants through:
- sustainability research and education
- office and IT support for virtual meetings
- reducing future need for travel
Explore the new Stephenson Building
Watch the demolition, construction and completion of Phase 1 of the Stephenson Building redevelopment
Construction of Phase 1 of the project has completed on time.
Phase 1 redeveloped the old "back" of the Stephenson Building site (left) and has opened on time in September 2023. We're now starting a 12 month programme refurbishing the old "front" of the building.
The redevelopment has transformed the approach to campus on Claremont Road
Central to the redevelopment is a stunning atrium.
The large atrium includes a huge staircase that is a place to meet, socialise and work.
The atrium includes group tables, pods and benches where you can work.
Attention to architectural detail is on show throughout the redevelopment
The "in the round" lecture theatre is now being used for teaching.
The flip-top desks in the building can either be used as a clear desk with power and USB connections available. Or the top can be flipped to reveal an in-desk PC.
The maker space: students are trained on equipment to then use independently for projects and coursework. Equipment includes 3D printers, laser cutters, composite material sewing stations and more.
The Formula Student team is one of the first groups in the maker space. The challenge is to produce a prototype single-seat race car which is then demonstrated at Silverstone.
In Formula Student, students have to manufacture and assemble as much of the vehicle as possible.
Facilities for transformative research and innovation
Inspired by flexibility, collaborative working and digital infrastructure, the building’s research facilities will include:
- flexible research space to promote new interactions
- wet and dry labs and spaces located to promote synergies between hub activities
- permanent desk space for non-academic partners who wish to co-locate staff
- hot desks for staff from across the University and external staff on secondment
Inclusive education spaces
The education facilities will enhance student experience and support blended learning. They will include:
- Maker Space - a new student-centred zone for interdisciplinary collaboration, creativity and entrepreneurship
- multi-purpose teaching laboratories with flexibility to support multiple disciplines
- digital learning spaces with large flat-floor areas for flexible working
- blended social learning spaces
- environments for quiet study and busy group work
- conference and exhibition space for 500+ delegates
Specialist labs and services
The building will be home to a wide range of specialist facilities, including:
- analytical facilities and services
- biomedical engineering facilities, including:
- tissue engineering laboratory
- assistive technology testing facilities
- neural engineering - electrochemical and mechanical testing of neural interfaces
- biomaterials lab
- bacterial wet lab
- human tissue lab
- materials, manufacturing, processing and testing facilities
- wind tunnel – renewable energy infrastructure, automotive, aviation, structures