Pro Installer December 2018 - Issue 69 | Page 14

14 | DECEMBER 2018 News Read online at www.proinstaller.co.uk KIER TO DELIVER ROYAL COLLEGE OF ART’S AMBITIOUS BATTERSEA EXPANSION Kier has been appoint- ed by the Royal College of Art (RCA) to deliver its £56m state-of-the-art new academic studio and research building located at its South Campus as part of the RCA’s development plan to transform into a dynamic STEAM-focused (science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics) postgrad- uate university. In addition, new pro- grammes will be developed to encompass computer and material science, wearable technology, robotics, ad- vanced manufacturing and intelligent mobility. The 15,500m 2 centre will consist of a four-storey academic studio build- ing and an eight-storey research building. It will contain workshops, man- ufacturing facilities and a double-height covered street hangar space for large-scale objects to be assembled and exhibited, as well as an ex- panded business incubator hub for small business start- ups related to the RCA. The Battersea develop- ment is estimated to require financing of £108 million. In 2016 the Government invested £54 million. The remaining funds will be secured through a mix of philanthropic donations, and RCA investment. A comprehensive fundraising campaign, GenerationRCA, will be launched during 2018 to raise further funds for the Battersea project. Cliff Thomas, managing director for Kier London, commented: “The new flag- ship building marks an ex- m.marcus architectural hardware citing time for the RCA and marks its transformation into a dynamic STEAM-fo- cused postgraduate uni- versity. It is great working with such a forward-looking body.” Other partners for the project include Mott Mac- Donald who is providing building services, civil, structural, fire and acoustic engineering as well as stra- tegic brief development and cost consultancy services. Work started on the site quite recently and is scheduled to be complet- ed in April 2020, with the new building opening to students for the 2020/21 academic year. www.rca.ac.uk www.kier.co.uk