Computing, Mathematics, Engineering & Technology (COMET), University of South Wales
A world-class education building encouraging collaboration and interdisciplinary working by making the activities that are taking place visible and accessible to all.
The University of South Wales is embarking on a rationalisation of its current estate to increase efficiencies in terms of space and utilisation. The overall aim is to increase spatial efficiency of its estate by about 30% and to provide a set of spaces that are fully adaptable for many years to come.
A feasibility study looked at a number of potential options ranging from retention of existing buildings, repurposing and new extensions concluded that this aim of achieving spatial efficiency would be best served by a new, single building allowing co-location of the engineering department with the Mathematics and Computer Sciences departments.
Assessment of options at RIBA stage 0-1 revealed that a new facility would significantly increase efficiencies both in terms of space utilisation and energy use.
COMET will combine the faculties of Computing, Mathematics, Engineering and Technology. At present, the subject areas are housed in separate locations within the university campus. By consolidating the faculties under one roof, the University of South Wales aims to create a world-class education building to further encourage collaboration and integration between these disciplines.
The new building will provide 11,500m2 of new teaching, research, and collaboration spaces, including heavy engineering labs and maker spaces where staff, students, and the public can develop new skills through making and doing.
The new facility will be future proofed with built-in flexibility which will allow spaces to be transformed to meet future demands.
Key to the brief is the desire to showcase active science through visual transparency, both into the building from the public realm and also between faculty spaces within the building. The building will be a learning tool in its own right with the engineering of the building itself very much on show.
COMET is due to commence on site in the summer of 2024 with completion around March 2026.
Working with the Stride Treglown team, headed up by Pierre Wassenaar and Hester Brough, has been as absolute pleasure. The team’s creativity, attention to detail, and commitment to our vision as a University has been exceptional. The team overall has been extremely professional and collaborative throughout. They have listened to us throughout the process, been proactive in managing detailed and complex stakeholder engagement activities, and been successful in understanding the specialist and varied needs of the faculty and developing these into a design which is innovative, sustainable and future-proofed. I’m certain that when the faculty move into their new facility they will be absolutely thrilled with their new space and much of this will be credit to the architectural design and team behind it.
Miranda Thomas – Head of Strategic Estates Projects, University of South Wales
