The Stephenson Building:
World-Class Design
We aim to create an open, inclusive, creative and entrepreneurial space for our engineering community.
Inclusive education spaces
The education facilities enhance student experience and support blended learning. They 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 including:
- environments for quiet study and busy group work
- conference and exhibition space for 500+ delegates
Facilities for transformative research and innovation
The building’s research and innovation facilities meet the challenges of tomorrow. There's an emphasis on flexibility, highly collaborative working and digital infrastructure. They 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
Specialist facilities
The building will boast many 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
Sustainable by design
We're reducing embedded carbon in the building fabric through:
- use of a timber structure for the 4th floor
- reuse of ½ of the current building floor space
- highly efficient use of floorspace
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