The HOK-designed building will serve 500 multidisciplinary researchers and is a centerpiece of the University’s new campus development.
Students, staff and researchers from multiple disciplines began occupying the University of Glasgow’s new Advanced Research Centre (ARC) this month.
“Through the ARC we are attempting something disruptive and hugely exciting—an evolution in how we operate as a research-intensive university,” said Andrew Tobin, director of the ARC and a University of Glasgow professor. “We have created new spaces to support colleagues across the campus in their efforts to realize their research, innovation and engagement ambitions. These spaces will support creativity, conferences, networking and collaboration.”
The design addresses the University’s three specific requirements to enable interdisciplinary research, foster collaboration and communication, and support wide-ranging engagement among researchers, students, industries, policy makers and the general public. Researchers in the building come from all four of the University’s colleges: Social Sciences, Arts, Science and Engineering, and Medical/Veterinary and Life Sciences.
“To solve today’s greatest challenges, universities must incorporate their local communities, nurture ties with industry to foster research and innovation, and encourage interdisciplinary collaboration among students and faculty from diverse backgrounds,” said Gary Clark, HOK’s regional leader for Science + Technology. “The Advanced Research Centre accomplishes these goals by combining informed design with the latest insights into problem-solving and teamwork.”
Designed to Innovate
HOK drew inspiration for the ARC from the University’s existing campus and masterplan and Glasgow’s historic buildings. The ARC forms the west side of a new square within the expanded campus. A public route moves through the building at the entry level, connecting the new University square to the West End community. This permeable streetscape displays the internal activities of the ARC to the outside world, supporting the University’s intention to be transparent in its community.
The ARC features a large central atrium filled with natural light and includes a café and multipurpose engagement space. It includes exhibition spaces to display research, a custom-built space for immersive technologies (VR/AR) and seminar spaces.
Window to Research
HOK’s design specifically expresses the functions and processes within the ARC while consciously respecting the surrounding architectural character. The inviting ground floor, with exhibition areas and multipurpose spaces, will engage the public and promote the wonders of research and collaborative inquiry.
The design provides a mixture of event, social, structured and informal meeting areas in addition to flexible wet and dry lab spaces. Together, they support a range of research, engagement and collaboration activities that can evolve without significant additional expenditures or disruption.
A Research Community Like No Other
The ARC research community includes physicists, engineers, life scientists and members of the social sciences and the arts. These research teams will work alongside each other in an open and shared environment to tackle global challenges. This marks the first time the University has attempted to co-locate such a diverse mix of interdisciplinary researchers in one facility.