Willmott Dixon has added to its £350 million of projects in the universities sector by being appointed by Swansea University for the preconstruction stage of its world-class computer science facility.

The £31m Computational Foundry at the university’s new Bay Campus will become a beacon for research collaborations, attracting leading academics from around the world to Wales and placing Swansea at the heart of a growing ecosystem of digital companies and research.

It will build on Swansea’s existing achievements of being the top ranked university in Wales for the quality of its Computer Science research by the Research Excellence Framework. Facilities include space for over 150 researchers in laboratories that support industrial proof-of concept and prototyping work, stimulating commercial opportunities, entrepreneurship and job creation.

Backed by a £17m from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), it will also feature world-leading experimental set-ups, equipment, devices and prototypes to accelerate innovation. The building will be operational and welcome staff and students from September 2018.

Willmott Dixon was appointed on the basis of its extensive university track-record, experience of working in live campus environments and a local team with impeccable credentials for creating leading research facilities. It is working with AHR Architects.

This is the latest campus project for Willmott Dixon and follows a similar size contract for Birmingham City University announced in May. It confirms the company’s presence as a market leader for university estate work, with further projects in Bournemouth, Bristol, Kent, Derby, Scarborough and Warwick.

Neal Stephens, managing director at Willmott Dixon construction in Wales and the West:

“We’ve a proud track record in the education sector and are extremely pleased to have been chosen to construct this important building as part of Swansea University’s ambitious campus development programme. We’re looking forward to delivering an outstanding research and teaching facility that will benefit the university and Swansea City Region for generations to come.”