This month, we have an exciting public art announcement, an update from the TQ Research Hub and look ahead to the potential of future technologies.

We have been working closely with Bristol City Council, Homes England, Network Rail and the West of England Combined Authority for a number of years to drive forward the regeneration of Bristol Temple Quarter.

At the end of February, I attended an event to mark the partners’ new formal organisation as Bristol Temple Quarter LLP and the search for a development partner to help deliver the extensive regeneration, stretching across 130 hectares of Bristol. With our new campus at its heart, we will continue to work in partnership with Bristol Temple Quarter LLP to create a collaborative, innovative space and generate the skills and opportunities the region needs to meet the challenges of our rapidly changing world.

This month, two funding boosts have been awarded to projects linked to our quantum initiatives, demonstrating major votes of confidence for our contribution to pioneering work in this area and our role in supporting the UK’s ambition to have the world’s most advanced quantum network at scale by 2035. Two projects will be supported by a share of £12m funding boost from Innovate UK, and a further £4m has been raised by Zero Point Motion – a current member of the Quantum Technologies Innovation Centre (QTIC). Dedicated quantum facilities at TQEC will enhance our position at the forefront of the quantum revolution.

I’m very happy to share that Room 13 Hareclive will be our lead artists for the Wild Spaces public art commission. The public art programme is a vital part of the development of TQEC and mirrors our ambitions for the campus to generate new opportunities for collaboration and strengthen our relationships with local organisations and communities. Public art will spark new conversations and contribute to the design of the campus being an inclusive, inspiring place to conduct our world-leading teaching, research and innovation.

Judith Squires, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Senior Responsible Owner for the Temple Quarter Programme

Wild Spaces artists announced

We’re delighted to announce we have appointed Room 13 Hareclive to Wild Spaces – our third and final public art commission for TQEC.

Room 13 Hareclive is an independent artists’ studio co-run by children, from Hareclive Primary School in Hartcliffe, South Bristol. They will lead the 18-month commission which will explore the natural landscapes surrounding the new campus.

Room 13 Hareclive operates with an innovative management model, run by a committee of pupils from years 5 and 6. They hold regular management meetings and each member has a role within the studio. As one of the first Room 13 studios globally, it has become a respected and emulated model internationally.

10-year-old Honey, Co-Chairperson and Shop Manager at Room 13 Hareclive, said: “This project makes us feel special because children don’t usually get chosen for opportunities like this… I feel good about this project because we can make the river interesting – and it might prevent people from throwing things in the river.”

Read the full news story

The appointment closely follows last month’s announcement of our new micro-campus, opening soon in the Gatehouse Centre in Hartcliffe, and is another fantastic opportunity to strengthen our relationships with local communities in the development of TQEC.

‘Action’ at the TQ Research Hub

Bristol Digital Futures Institute (BDFI) has recently released a new film showcasing the TQ Research Hub and the innovative, interdisciplinary work into digital and creative technologies taking place there.

Earlier this month, members of MyWorld’s team ventured away from their new home in the TQ Research Hub to attend SXSW. This annual event in Texas brings together global professionals within the creative industries and provided an opportunity to highlight the West of England region’s strengths in creative technology and innovation on a global stage.

Back in Bristol, Lux Aeterna VFX are shooting their experimental sci-fi film, RENO, in the Experimental Studio. As an Experimental Production, RENO will push the boundaries of filmmaking and visual effects through hands-on exploration. The project will explore how emerging technologies can be integrated into filmmaking practically, creatively, and ethically using a blend of traditional VFX (visual effects) and in-camera VFX. Find out more about Lux Aeterna’s work with emerging technologies.

The final sessions of the Virtual Production Skills Bootcamps also took place in March, with two ‘Meet the Employers’ sessions delivered to equip learners with the confidence and insights they need to step into the industry. The WECA-funded Bootcamps have now successfully wrapped with some fantastic feedback from participants.

Connected Futures Festival

On 26 March, the Connected Futures Festival came to Bristol, showcasing groundbreaking work in advanced connectivity through a packed schedule of expert talks and public demonstrations.

The event was led by the Smart Internet Lab, along with their flagship projects JOINER and REASON. Smart Internet Lab will be one of TQEC’s future residents, bringing their renowned expertise alongside industry partners and academics who are actively influencing policy and practice, to find solutions to the complexities and challenges of our digital world.

Advanced connectivity is crucial for the future of communication and will impact our daily lives in countless ways. The public demonstrations at the event showed some of the practical applications of new research in this critical area. These included remote dental inspections using a haptic controller in Bristol to operate a robotic arm in Glasgow, and a 9-metre-long robotic snail connected to a wireless network to demonstrate the impact of network speeds on real-world movements. While these concepts may seem futuristic, today’s technology is bringing future telecoms into the present.

Sir Chris Bryant, Minister of State for Data Protection and Telecoms, spoke at the event, emphasizing the importance of connectivity in the UK’s strategy to become a global leader in technology. Professor Ian Bond, Pro-Vice Chancellor for Science and Engineering here at the University, demonstrated how Bristol and TQEC can play a major role in this strategy, describing the new campus as a ‘powerful combination’ of business and technology which will enable us to accelerate academic entrepreneurship and do even more than we are now in this field.

Campus development

Construction remains on schedule, with a current workforce of over 500 personnel on site daily and the equivalent of over 750,000 person-hours having been worked on site so far.

The building is almost watertight, with the rooflight installations being the final element to be completed. Roof insulation and paving finishes have been applied to over half of the roof and roof level plant equipment, including five ten-tonne cooling units, plant room modules and air handling units, has been delivered.

Internally, partition wall construction is progressing on all levels, along with plastering and decorating. Glazed partitioning, joinery and raised access floor installation have also begun. Mechanical and electrical services continue to make good progress, with wiring underway on levels 1 and 2.

External landscaping works have now commenced and the first of the three tower cranes has been dismantled, followed by the second in April and the final tower in May.

Sir Robert McAlpine has recently conducted public site tours as part of the Construction Industry Training Board’s ‘Open Doors’ programme and for the Forum for the Built Environment. We have also facilitated school visits as part of the ‘Design, Engineer, Construct’ programme in partnership with a local school, and have provided week-long work experience placements.

Read on for the latest news from the Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus, February 2025.

It was excellent to see the TQ Research Hub hosting a series of free Virtual Production Skills Bootcamps recently. Thanks to funding from the West of England Combined Authority, the Skills Bootcamps have been developed through the University of Bristol’s MyWorld project. Working in partnership with Gritty Talent, MARS Academy, Sony, and Gold Unreal, these bootcamps were designed to address regional skills gaps in the creative industries and have equipped 56 people with vital training in the new medium of virtual production.

The University’s significant economic contribution to the region was demonstrated in a new report by Oxford Economics published earlier in February. The report revealed that the University contributed over £1 billion and 17,000 jobs to the regional economy in 2022/23. With the expansion offered by the opening of our new campus, these figures are expected to rise, bringing even greater benefits to the region.

This month, we were also pleased to share that we are developing an innovative new micro-qualification in partnership with Hartcliffe and Withywood Ventures. This will be delivered in our new micro-campus at the Gatehouse Centre in Hartcliffe, supported by a shared funding award from the Office for Students.

TQEC enables us to open the University’s doors in new locations and work with a broader range of partners. It has been designed so that a wide range of communities can be part of the University and will encourage collaboration in the region. We’re working with partners today to determine how best to operate the shared spaces in our new campus once it opens in 2026, enhancing opportunities to drive meaningful change.

Judith Squires, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Senior Responsible Owner for the Temple Quarter Programme

New Hartcliffe Micro-campus

We’re really pleased to share the news this month of our new partnership with Hartcliffe and Withywood Ventures (HWV). Boosted by a shared funding award of £178,000 from the Office for Student’s Equality in Higher Education Innovation Fund, we will co-create a micro-qualification which will be delivered in a new micro-campus in the Gatehouse Centre, run by HWV.

We will be developing this innovative new programme with employers, local communities, further education colleges, and the adult learners themselves, supporting our ambitions to invite a broader range of partners and communities to be a part of the University.

Professor Tom Sperlinger, Academic Lead for Engagement for TQEC, is leading this initiative. By taking the first steps to open this new facility in Hartcliffe, Tom hopes that it conveys the simple message to local people that ‘This is your University. Come and help us shape what the University is, and who it is for, in your community.’

The new Hartcliffe Micro-campus adds to our existing Barton Hill Micro-campus, which has been successfully operating since 2020. The two micro-campuses will form part of a network of civic spaces linked to the new campus. Dedicated civic spaces in TQEC include the Bristol Rooms, a signature space for staff and students to work with partners of all kinds on shared challenges, and the Story Exchange, a round space for conversations between people with different backgrounds and forms of expertise.

Campus development

The installation of the main facade glazing and cladding panels is complete and the installation of the atrium rooflight glazing is progressing well. The site has been home to 3 tower cranes since the end of 2023 which have aided the swift completion of the reinforced frame of the building. The first of these is due to be dismantled in March, followed by the second in April, and the final tower in May.

Sir Robert McAlpine and the development project continue with community engagement and social value activities. To date, we have supported:

• 30 on-site apprenticeships
• Over 30 jobs created for new entrants to construction from Bristol
• 35 events undertaken with local education providers, including school visits at Oasis Academy, Fishponds Academy, and IKB Academy
• 25 work experience placements on-site
• Successful launch of Bristol’s first ‘Design, Engineer Construct!’ learning programme with IKB Academy

News from Bristol Temple Quarter

Our new campus sits at the heart of one of Europe’s largest regeneration projects. Bristol Temple Quarter is set to be a thriving new city district; a well-connected neighbourhood with new housing and a range of services that will make it a great place to live, work, learn and visit.

At the end of January, detailed plans for a new transport hub at Bristol Temple Meads station were unveiled. Plans for the new transport hub, called the “Southern Gateway”, propose the creation of new pedestrian access into Temple Meads station, a new cycle hub, and a new multi-storey car park. The Southern Gateway will connect with existing and emerging walking and cycling routes, including those surrounding our new campus, improving sustainable travel access in the area.

Bristol Temple Quarter LLP is the organisation behind the emerging plans for the area and has recently announced it is seeking a Private Sector Partner to enable the transformation of Bristol Temple Quarter. It’s exciting to see the plans that are taking shape in the area and for our University to be a part of this transformation for the city.

Keep up to date with news and progress on the Bristol Temple Quarter website.

Welcome to the first Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus (TQEC) update of the new year. With the start of 2025, we can officially say our new campus is set to fully open next year!

It’s fantastic to see the campus becoming a hive of activity. The TQ Research Hub is now fully open with a number of projects live, making use of the new, unique facilities to conduct collaborative research and provide skills training in pioneering creative technologies. With MyWorld now settled into the TQ Research Hub, the start of the year has brought some exciting collaborations, including with music venue, St George’s. Art and technology collided in fascinating ‘research concerts’, demonstrating how interdisciplinary working generates innovative new approaches.

Construction of the main building remains on schedule and the exterior is now nearing completion. The installation of the windows has transformed the site into a striking building and it’s excellent to see the effect our new campus is having on the wider area. With new businesses and public and private sector organisations moving in and further developments on the horizon, it’s exciting to be at the heart of this once-in-a-generation opportunity for Bristol.

Earlier in January, the UK government revealed a plan for advancing the nation’s capabilities in Artificial Intelligence. With our new Isambard-AI supercomputer set to complete this year at the National Composites Centre and our major new campus opening in Temple Quarter to follow close behind, we are positioning ourselves in a pivotal role to help deliver on these goals and solve today’s biggest societal challenges.

Foreword by Professor Judith Squires, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost

MyWorld Virtual Production Bootcamps in full swing

December saw the launch of two highly anticipated Virtual Production (VP) Skills Bootcamps. VP skills are in high demand in the screen sector as this new technology is rapidly reinventing the way media content is created. These bootcamps are providing learners with access to MyWorld’s state-of the-art new facilities in the TQ Research Hub, responding to the evolving needs of industry and building on the existing creative strengths in the West of England region.

Funded by the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority (WECA) and hosted by the University of Bristol, these bootcamps are delivered in partnership with MyWorld, MARS Academy, Gritty Talent, Unreal Engine trainer Rob Brooks, and Sony trainer Paul Cameron. The initiative aims to equip participants with the tools, techniques, and confidence to excel in the rapidly advancing field of VP. Combining technical training with mentoring and career development sessions, the programme offers a comprehensive learning experience for aspiring VP professionals.

January marked an exciting milestone in the programme, as learners on the Unreal course stepped into the Virtual Production Studio at the TQ Research Hub, putting their newly acquired knowledge to the test. Guided by the team at MARS Academy, participants applied what they had created in training on Unreal Engine and integrated their virtual environments with live performances from local trained actors to produce dynamic scenes. These scenes were then showcased in the state-of-the-art ‘Smart Cinema’ next door.

Learners on the Sony course will be getting the same opportunity to work practically on VP Volume and put all their training to practise in the coming weeks.

Bristol’s world of tech

This month, we were highlighted as a key player in the city’s thriving tech scene in the Bristol Magazine’s feature, Deep thinkers: Bristol’s world of tech. Bristol and the region’s reputation for deep tech, digital and creative technologies is growing fast. Our University and TQEC are sitting right at the heart of that groundbreaking movement.

Bristol Innovations’ portfolio of innovation services, including Engine Shed, SETsquared Bristol and  Quantum Technologies Innovation Centre (QTIC) were recognised as ‘the perfect combination of how different organisations are collaborating to achieve technological breakthroughs.’ Bristol Innovations will be resident in the main building at TQEC once it opens, and are continuing to build and grow their offering to create a supportive, collaborative ecosystem for translating research into scalable commercial opportunities.

MyWorld’s pioneering work into creative technologies was also featured, focusing on the centre’s strengths through partnerships and responding to the region’s thriving creative economy. MyWorld’s new home at the Temple Quarter Research Hub alongside Bristol Digital Futures Institute, was also dubbed the ‘Temple of Tech’!

Finally, our pioneering partner, Science Creates, is a major driver for the region’s successes in deep tech. OMX, the third incubator we have developed with Science Creates, is set to open this year in Temple Quarter. This major, £8.5m incubator will support spin-out companies that have the potential to provide a major economic boost to the region. Congratulations are also in order for Science Creates founder and Bristol alum, Harry Destecroix, who has been recognised in HM the King’s New Years Honours 2025 for services to Science!

Elsewhere at the Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus

Hundreds of people are working daily on site, keeping the construction on schedule to open in 2026. The installation of the glazing panels is nearing completion, and partition walls are beginning to go up. We continue to support the regional economy with off-site manufacturing of the roof lights in Gloucester, and the first of these units have been installed this month.

The public art programme at TQEC is well underway, with 2 of 3 commissions now appointed to. Read a round up of the public art story so far to discover what’s been happening since the project began last year and what’s to come as we approach 2026.

We’re particularly excited to announce the appointment of world-renowned artists, Wood and Harrison​, who will be creating a landmark artwork for the new campus. Bristol based, but with an international reach, John Wood and Paul Harrison’s work has been exhibited across the world, including in New York’s Times Square. John and Paul have visited the site as part of their research and development, and we can’t wait to see what unique and playful proposals they come up with.

You can follow along with the public art programme at TQEC by following the University’s public art Instagram account: @bristol_uni_publicart