Bristol Science and Academic Quarter

Avanti Architects led the masterplanning and delivery of the Science and Academic Quarter at Southmead Campus. This followed on from our role in developing the wider masterplan for the Southmead Campus, spanning 26 acres and 200,000m² of accommodation.

The new quarter serves as a hub for laboratories, research and learning, effectively integrating services that were previously dispersed across various locations on-site and throughout the region. This integration involved collaboration among multiple NHS Trusts, three prominent higher education institutions (the Universities of Bristol, Bath, and the West of England), and the UK Health Security Agency.

The development consists of three finger developments comprising the Learning & Research and Pathology buildings. The buildings contain a mixture of category 2 and category 3 laboratories including integrated pathology services, the Bristol Genetics Laboratory and research laboratories for the University of Bristol. They also provide learning, collaboration and academic facilities including offices, seminar rooms, study areas, a library, lecture theatre, and administrative spaces.

Avanti Architects took the lead in developing phasing and decanting strategies in close consultation with a wide array of stakeholders. This collaborative approach ensured the seamless integration of operations for various user groups.

We also successfully executed the detailed design and delivery of the Learning and Research Building, achieving an outstanding BREEAM Excellent rating. Subsequently, we led the concept design and coordination of Pathology Phase 1, followed by the detailed design and successful delivery of Pathology Phase 2.