Institute of Life Science 2
SWANSEA UNIVERSITYPowell Dobson Architects were commissioned for the design of the ILS Phase 2 building following the successful completion of ILS Phase 1. Both projects were procured under the NEC Target Cost Contract.
The new building acts as a physical and symbolic link between the University and Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Trust.
The 5,900 m2 building was designed, adjacent to ILS1, to create the appropriate interdisciplinary environment, drawing on research expertise from across the campus and enabling a lively and innovative new medical school to realize its full potential in pushing forward the frontiers of knowledge.
- Client Swansea University
- Completed Dec 2011
- Budget £20m
The accommodation includes the following key areas:
- A Clinical research facility including a secure bedded unit space with crash team access.
- An imaging suite, including an MRI and PET scanner and associated Cyclotron, with patient access from the hospital.
- Mass spectrometry centre. This accommodation is designed to be largely vibration free.
- A Nanohealth facility with vibration free floors.
- General office space.
- Incubation space.
- Conferencing and Business development space located at the top floor of the building.
The building comprises four floors of laboratories and write-up space around the atrium, above two floors containing a café, incubation space, meeting/ conference rooms and private sector collaboration space. The ILS provides the highest quality scientific and computing facilities and links with IBM’s European Deep Computing Visualization Centre for Medical Applications. This new IBM supercomputer, located in the Talbot Building – which was named ‘Blue C’ – was the fastest computer in the world dedicated to life science research and at the time the most powerful computer in any university in the UK. It enables research to be carried out into new solutions for healthcare treatment, personalized medicine and disease control.
