Situated within Glasgow City’s Innovation District, the TIC Zone development comprises two new stand-alone buildings – TIC East and TIC West. Located either side of the existing TIC Building (TIC Central), the new schemes are designed to accommodate a range of research facilities at the heart of Scotland’s first Innovation District.
The development is part of the University of Strathclyde’s Innovation Strategy goal to escalate the impact and reach of the innovation eco-system by creating new centres of expertise.
The objective of the TIC Zone Development revolves around the further development of this eco-system based on “open innovation” by delivery facilities that will catalyse an Innovation District in the centre of Glasgow anchored by the University of Strathclyde.
The TIC Zone will create a collaborative environment, designed to accelerate creativity and new ideas with the co-location community of industry, investors and academic as well as support the growth of six new research clusters – Quantum, Space, 5G, Health Technology, Industrial Informatics and FinTech.
The development will comprise of four elements to host the above:
•The “Creativity Lab” – located at the heart of the facility at ground level the Creativity Lab will be a highly visible, open and accessible multi-use space where innovation and collaboration take place. An exciting space to be in showcasing some of the research work under development, it will be supported and surrounded by social areas and work café, open collaborative workspace, hot-desking, meeting rooms, executive education, and the Innovation and Entrepreneurial HUB.
•Research Space – a mixture of flexible space suitable for all six Cluster Groups, the workspace will be able to be developed into labs, workshops and desk space as required by both the academic research communities and industry partners.
•Commercial Space – located mainly at pavement level there will be opportunities identified for supporting commercial operators to enhance the vitality and appeal of this new urban quarter as a place to live, work and play.
•Connected Public Realm – a series of connected public spaces within the development encouraging active frontages, the streetscape will be an exemplar for great placemaking and the delivery of outstanding public realm creating a series of exciting spaces that people will come to explore and stay to enjoy.
Our team have been appointed from feasibility stage and are currently providing a range of services, supporting the design team and client to form and develop the brief, one of which is achieving Passivhaus certification for the buildings that will provide high levels of occupant comfort while using minimal energy for heating and cooling. This approach also aims at delivering net zero carbon buildings, one the university’s sustainability goals.
Client: University of Strathclyde
Architect: HLM Architects