University of Warwick - STEM Cluster
- Location
- Coventry, UK
- Client
- University of Warwick
- Expertise
- Architecture
- Acoustics
- Civil & Structural Engineering
- Design Management
- Interior Design
- Landscape Architecture
- Lighting
- Sustainability
A major multidisciplinary campus investment creating next-generation STEM facilities to strengthen teaching, research, collaboration and industry engagement.
Over a ten-year period, BDP is acting as lead consultant and principal designer for the University of Warwick’s STEM Connect Programme - a major capital investment designed to transform teaching, learning, research and collaboration across science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines.
Part of the University’s wider £700m Connect Programme, the development will create a new academic precinct comprising advanced research facilities, specialist science laboratories, flexible teaching environments and collaborative learning spaces. Designed to support students, staff, industry partners and the wider community, the programme will strengthen interdisciplinary working, industry collaboration, public engagement and innovation across the campus. The development will also help create stronger connections between academia and industry, enabling partners to work more closely with researchers, staff and students across pioneering STEM disciplines.
Developed in partnership with the University following a competitive design process, the proposals will revitalise the heart of the campus, improve connectivity between departments and create new opportunities for collaboration across education and research.
Guided by the University’s sustainability ambitions, the programme includes the delivery of low-carbon campus buildings, a new university green and enhanced public realm designed to support biodiversity, community activity and wellbeing. A dedicated energy centre within the development boundary will support on-site energy generation, while high-performance façades, green roofs and innovative building services contribute towards Passivhaus, BREEAM Excellent and WELL Platinum aspirations.
BDP is delivering a multidisciplinary scope including architecture, civil and structural engineering, landscape architecture, lighting, acoustics, interior design and sustainability consultancy.
We provided Design Management advisory services for the STEM Connect Programme, supporting the delivery strategy for a complex £425m multi-phase higher education development. Our role focused on establishing coordinated programme management, design team leadership and project controls aligned with procurement and wider campus phasing requirements.
As part of the Lead Consultant team, we coordinated 27 disciplines, several appointed through competitive tender processes aligned with the University’s requirements. We developed a coordinated design responsibility matrix and detailed NEC-compliant programme to support integrated delivery across the full consultant team.
Working closely with the client and stakeholders, we established a design critical path to align academic engagement, procurement and programme milestones. This included developing project controls strategies and integrated programme management processes to ensure scope coordination and delivery certainty across multiple phases.
Our approach enabled the University to align design delivery with procurement requirements and academic timescales, supporting effective contractor engagement and maintaining programme continuity across a large-scale and highly coordinated development.
As part of BDP’s wider role in delivering the University of Warwick’s STEM cluster, the Renewable Energy Centre is a 900m² critical infrastructure facility designed to distribute heating, cooling, and sprinkler systems across the central campus. The project plays a key role in the University’s transition to sustainable energy, enabling the shift from fossil fuels to air source heat pump technology. BDP led the design through RIBA Stages 2 and 3, providing CDM and Building Regulations Principal Designer services. Our team advised the University on its regulatory duties, facilitated design workshops to identify and manage risks, and developed a comprehensive Access and Maintenance strategy. We produced a detailed Pre-Construction Health and Safety File and proposed a handover-ready format for the Principal Contractor. Compliance was embedded throughout the design process via collaborative meetings, a Building Regulations Report, a compliance tracker, and competency statements, ensuring the project met the highest standards of safety, performance, and future-proofed energy planning.