The TQ Research Hub is nearing completion. Watch MyWorld move into their unique new facilities on 65 Avon Street.
MyWorld is an innovative creative technology research and development programme run in partnership with universities and businesses in the West of England region.
Stay up-to-date with the exciting projects MyWorld have got lined up in this new creative tech hub, some of which ‘House of the Dragon’ fans might be interested in!
The Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus (TQEC) provides us with a robust, unique and exciting response to the needs of our students, staff, partners and society. It offers a new landscape, with fresh opportunities for partnerships, interdisciplinary research and education and civic engagement.
As the TQEC site develops, that landscape is literally taking shape: new buildings are rising, old structures are being repurposed, and the scale of activity is mounting. TQEC continues to be a catalyst for developments in the wider Bristol Temple Quarter area â one of the biggest regeneration projects in the UK.
Itâs been just over a year since contracts were signed to begin work at the main site of the new campus. In that time, construction of the 38,000m2 main building has progressed rapidly, and further facilities are developing in the area. Here, we present some of the highlights over the past year.
Bricks and mortar (in truth, steel, concrete and lots of glass)
Progress at the main building, end of May 2024.
Construction of the main building kicked off in May 2023 with an extensive, complex programme of groundwork. Piling was completed by the end of August. The sheer scale of the work is reflected in the fact that if the 554 piles now in place were lined up end-to-end, they would stretch nearly 14,000 metres â roughly as high as the Andes sitting on top of the Himalayas!
The site currently hosts three tower cranes, which are used to construct the reinforced concrete frame as the building rises out of the ground throughout 2024. By the end of May 2024, work on the frame had reached the fifth storey.
Off site, prefabrication of components such as glass/aluminium cladding, mechanical and electrical modules and the feature staircase are all making great progress. This approach enables us to support apprenticeships and saves unproductive work when conditions are difficult on site.
Earlier in May, Craig Nowell, TQEC Development Programme Director, summarised the development and progress so far:
Making the connection: the Eastern Entrance
Network Rail began work on the new Eastern Entrance at Bristol Temple Meads Station in October 2023. This vital piece of infrastructure will improve connectivity between the east of Bristol and the city centre via the campus, helping to achieve our vision for a porous, bustling place. It will also provide convenient and sustainable travel options for our staff and students to come to work and study.
TQEC is a major focal point for our civic ambitions, with plans for a rich array of new facilities, programmes, resources and events that will bring tangible benefits for both the University and the city.
Bristol Dental School’s new facilities – a vibrant and welcoming space providing vital services.
Bristol Dental School moved to Avon Street in September 2023, a short walk from the site of the main campus development. ITVâs recent report spotlighted the vital work of student dentists bringing much-needed appointments to the city and their work is a clear indicator of the positive impacts we can bring to Bristol.
“Weâre now registered with the Care Quality Commission, making us the first UK higher education institution to provide clinical care directly to members of the publicâ, says James Tubman, Senior School Manager. âWe’ve also been supporting the work of the NHS across the city by taking on over 400 patients for treatments and around 150 patient referrals from the Dental Hospital, which has helped ease their waiting lists. Our Dental Clinical Services Manager has recruited 286 children from local schools who donât have a registered dentist to be seen and treated at the Dental School. Weâve also been working with the BrisDoc GP service, to pilot a scheme to treat homeless patients.”
An innovative ecosystem
The new campus sits at the heart of an emerging innovation district. Our new neighbours range from major companies and government offices to startups, local businesses and civic organisations. TQEC brings our state-of-the-art facilities into a thriving ecosystem for students, staff, partners and the community to co-create solutions to vital challenges that impact our society.
Over the past year, âThe Shedsâ on Avon Street has been progressing closer to completion. This space will bring together Bristol Digital Futures Institute (BDFI) and MyWorld in unique facilities to advance digital and creative technologies in an equitable and sustainable way.
The Sheds will house world-first research equipment such as the Reality Emulator, a ‘digital twin’ facility enabling users from any sector to recreate any situation – or generate potential future scenarios – using AI and large data sets. The build of the Reality Emulator reached an exciting milestone in March 2024 with the installation of the âhaloâ, a suspended structure spanning eight metres which will supply power and network to the immersive suite, allowing digital models to be created using real-time data. The immersive suite is currently being constructed and is scheduled to join the halo in the facilities over the summer.
An aerial view of the city and our campus development at its heart.
Carla Hill, Senior Project Manager for Research, Enterprise and Innovation at TQEC, is among many involved in the siteâs development who are looking forward to seeing it come to fruition.
âI’ve lived in Bristol for over 25 years, and itâs amazing to see part of the city coming to life with something that wasn’t here before’â Carla says. âWeâll have new ways of working together with the city, and with external partners. Itâll change the University and itâs really exciting to be part of that.â
Ahead of opening in 2026, weâll continue to forge new and strengthening existing partnerships, seeking input and vision from an array of people and organisations to develop a truly welcoming and innovative place.
To mark World Earth Day on 22 April, we take a look at some of the ways the new Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus (TQEC) will contribute to the Universityâs overall sustainability goals.
In 2019, the University of Bristol became the first University to declare a climate emergency. Since then, weâve been making significant and rapid changes to our existing estate and processes, working to reduce our carbon emissions.
The Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus presents a further opportunity to show our commitment to the environment, demonstrating how we can innovate and grow responsibly and sustainably.
The main academic building â âCM1â
‘CM1’
The main academic building is 38,000m2Â and stretches over five floors. It has been designed to achieve the industry rating BREEAM Excellent (BREEAM is the worldâs leading science-based suite of validation and certification systems for a sustainable built environment).
Much of the interior of the building has been designed to be shared by students, staff and external organisations. Multipurpose spaces increase the building’s efficiency and reduce the chances of the spaces being left empty. The ambition of âTwilight Temple Quarterâ is to host events and activities outside of normal teaching hours for a range of people, furthering opportunities for the space to be well used. This initiative is currently in the planning stage.
An extensive public realm will surround the main building. Landscaping and tree planting plans have been carefully considered to provide a welcoming and biodiverse environment, with a central hub space to allow for activities and events. Situated on the banks of the River Avon, views of the harbourside will be seen from many angles. In the heart of the space, the University Square will link the campus to the new entrance at Bristol Temple Meads station.
Research Facilities
Living walls outside the BDFI
The Bristol Digital Futures Institute (BDFI) and MyWorld have a new home in what is currently known as âThe Shedsâ. The renovated industrial buildings on Avon Street once made up the headquarters of the Bristol Gas Company and a Coal Shed.
As a place for innovation since its inception, these buildings are now home to carbon reduction technologies and practices, known as the Sustainable Campus Testbed. This suite of net zero facilities will make the restored 200-year-old building more sustainable and deliver new research capabilities.
The Bristol Dental Schoolâs new purpose-built facility is a refurbished office building on Avon Street in Temple Quarter. By prioritising the reuse of an existing space, the University made a sustainable choice and significantly reduced the environmental impact of the schoolâs relocation.Â
Much of the furniture and equipment was also reused. This includes:
the carpet on the 5th floor office (approximately 1500m2 of carpet tiles) from NatWest, previous tenants;
office desks and chairs on the 1st, 4th and 5th floor office spaces, also from NatWest;
second-hand lockers from Vodafone (coming from another project that the Campus Development Team were working on).
TQEC is located next to Bristol Temple Meads Station. It sits at the heart of the wider redevelopment of Bristol Temple Quarter – one of the UK’s largest regeneration projects.
Our new campus will be car-free, except for designated accessible parking. The new Eastern Entrance at Bristol Temple Meads will open directly onto the campus, and the station itself is currently undergoing significant regeneration which will improve sustainable travel options for students, staff and visitors.
Enhanced walking and cycling routes will surround the area, including via the new Floating Harbour walkway currently in development. The facilities include extensive bike storage as well as changing and drying rooms for cyclists.
Teams in Campus Division are currently working on proposals for the full transport plan. The area has multiple existing bus routes and the full scope of appropriate further services is being determined.
Over the last few months, Abdulelah has been on placement with the Temple Quarter Programme Team as part of the BSc Business and Management course.Â
Abdulelah has been working with the leads for Civic Engagement and Social Purpose, learning more about the civic mission of the University and how the Temple Quarter campus development is helping to progress that in practice.
Abdulelah shares his experiences and reflects on his time on the placement so far.
Why did you choose to do this placement?Â
I first came across this placement before I became a student at the University of Bristol whilst I was taking my Kaplan Foundation Course. I was keen to gain work experience and this course stood out to me. From the module description and discussions with the unit leader, I thought this module would be a great opportunity to apply my academic knowledge in a workplace setting.Â
What do you hope to get out of the placement?
From this placement, I hope to gain a firmer understanding of the inner workings of organisational efforts tailored to aiding the community. I have been on this placement for just short of four months and can assess that this goal is actively being achieved as I gain more experience engaging with the TQ work environment.
I am currently working on a business clinic proposal which has helped me understand how business cases are developed. By the end of this placement, I hope to continue using what Iâve learned in my course and apply it in real-world situations for the betterment of the community. I also hope that this experience will continue to enrich my learning experience and future work experience.
“This experience has helped me form a deeper connection with the city of Bristol.”
How has this placement developed your future aspirations as a workplace professional?
Prior to this placement, as part of my management reflection and development in practice unit, I did not have a full idea of what field within management I would like to pursue. The field of project management was an area of interest, but I did not have any knowledge of the topic from a standardised learning/workplace lens beyond online videos and websites.
During my time with the Temple Quarter team, my professional prospects have become more identified as I would like to work within the field of project management in the future; specifically, within the realm of community engagement and in an organisation from a project management lens that caters to aiding and empowering the local community.
As an international student, this experience has helped me form a deeper connection with the city of Bristol by conducting research on the local area, the issues faced and speaking with businesses regarding their methods of operation. This has enriched my experience as an international student at the University of Bristol.
