The University of Glasgow has appointed architects Woods Bagot to design and deliver a new building to house its School of Engineering.

The new Engineering Building is part of the University’s £1 billion Campus Development Programme, which is redeveloping the 14 acre site of the former Western Infirmary in Glasgow’s West End.

This marks the beginning of the next chapter in the University of Glasgow’s proud heritage of world-shaping engineering.

Alongside offering innovative teaching spaces and laboratories, the vision for student learning in the new building focuses on a large, dynamic Creativity Lab. This will accommodate workshops, plus advanced visualisation and data analysis where students can develop as creative engineers, engage with industry, grow student-led engineering outreach and build teams for international engineering competitions.

The building will be a living laboratory, driven by Smart Building and Smart Campus technologies, where researchers and students engage with the building’s energy and structural performance data and where new technologies can be researched and tested. Research laboratories will create collaborative interdisciplinary environments to find engineering solutions to global problems.

The building will also be outward-facing, showcasing engineering at Glasgow, with facilities for industry and public engagement, and social spaces.

Margaret Lucas, Professor of Ultrasonics at the University of Glasgow, who leads the project, said: “Glasgow is renowned for engineering innovation, and the discoveries made here have shaped the world around us for centuries. This is now an opportunity to change how we do engineering at the University of Glasgow, and create our future world-shaping engineering heritage.

“Our vision is a building that not only supports world-class learning and teaching, but is also a collaborative and creative space, helping to drive discovery, innovation and entrepreneurship for our students, staff and wider community.

“Working with the team at Woods Bagot is an exciting collaboration for us, to develop a new unique and iconic home for Engineering at the University of Glasgow.”

Woods Bagot Principal Jonathan Leah said: “We are delighted to be collaborating with the University of Glasgow and its passionate and engaged group of stakeholders to provide user-centric solutions that address the Engineering Building’s needs now and well into the future.”