The project sought to create a shared physical environment in which the departments could be co‑located. While each team required dedicated space that reflected its own identity, the intention was to provide shared accommodation and collaborative areas where researchers could come together to work on joint programmes and aligned research streams.

An initial phase had already been delivered, and the layouts for Phases 2 and 3 were developed in response to operational feedback and observed successes from Phase 1. Phase 2 involved the refurbishment of an existing office and laboratory floorplate originally designed by Wilson Mason fifteen years earlier, while Phase 3 focused on the redevelopment of a heavily serviced laboratory suite.

Design activities included the preparation and submission of a full planning application to open up the building elevation and introduce contemporary fenestration aligned with the rhythm and proportions of the wider façade. A strong emphasis was placed on flexibility, AV integration, and the provision of high‑quality breakout spaces to support a workable open‑plan environment.

With Phase 3 reliant on decant works elsewhere on campus, Phase 2 advanced to site and was completed during the height of the Covid‑19 pandemic. During this period, we undertook additional reviews of the proposed layouts to develop maximum‑capacity workplace options responsive to evolving Covid‑19 operational scenarios.