Computational Foundry, Swansea University

Willmott Dixon added to its £450 million of projects in the universities sector by working with Swansea University on its world-class computer science facility.

See it built in just over two minutes!

The £31 million Computational Foundry at the university’s new Bay Campus is a beacon for research collaborations, attracting leading academics from around the world to Wales - placing Swansea at the heart of a growing ecosystem of digital companies and research.

It establishs an internationally renowned, digital ecosystem for world-class computational science research that brings together interdisciplinary research and addresses grand challenges for the economy and society under the three themes of Sustaining Life; Enhancing Life; and Securing Life. It also continues to build capacity in Swansea University’s globally recognised research strengths computational science.

Top class

This builds on Swansea’s existing achievements of being the top ranked university in Wales for the quality of its Computer Science research by the Research Excellence Framework. Facilities include space for over 150 researchers in laboratories that support industrial proof-of concept and prototyping work, stimulating commercial opportunities, entrepreneurship and job creation.

Happy end-user

Key facts

• 7,453 sq m footprint offices and laboratories, research and teaching facilities
• Wse sustainable, energy efficient building techniques and renewable energy technology
• BREEAM “Excellent”

It features world-leading experimental set-ups, equipment, devices and prototypes to accelerate innovation.

Teamwork in the community

As well as building this brilliant facility, we worked with local schools to bring STEM to life. This included a running a ‘Construction in the Classroom’ enrichment programme for pupils to allow them to try their hand at a range of construction-based projects, which provided a fascinating insight into what life on a construction site is really like.

Track record

Our team was appointed on the basis of its extensive university track-record, experience of working in live campus environments and a local team with impeccable credentials for creating leading research facilities.

This is the latest campus project for our university campus specialists and confirms our role as a market leader for university estate work, with other projects in Bournemouth, Bristol, Kent, Derby, Scarborough and Warwick.

Neal Stephens, managing director at Willmott Dixon in Wales and the West:

“We’ve a proud track record in the education sector and are extremely pleased to help Swansea University’s ambitious campus development programme. This is an outstanding research and teaching facility that will benefit the university and Swansea City Region for generations to come.”