A major milestone has been reached in the progress of a new £54 million building at the heart of the University of Bristol's precinct.

The contract for the main construction work has been signed with VINCI Construction UK, which will act as the University’s main contractor for the new Life Sciences facility, transforming the corner of St Michaels Hill and Tyndall Avenue.

Work to create the iconic 13,500 square meter building, designed by architects Sheppard Robson, is set to begin in April. The main construction works are scheduled for completion by the end of 2013, enabling the building to be fully occupied at the beginning of 2014.

The site, which used to house the disused ward blocks of the Old Children's Hospital, the 1960's Focus Centre and two blocks of houses, has now been cleared and preparatory works are underway.


The listed frontage of the Old Children's Hospital will be retained as part of the 21st Century learning and research facilities for the School of Biological Sciences.

Clustered around a central atrium will be teaching and research laboratories, seminar rooms, computer facilities, staff offices and a café. The building will be fully equipped to become one of the UK's leading facilities for the advancement of Biological Sciences and a range of related disciplines.

In addition to completing the new building, VINCI Construction UK will also be responsible for public realm works and extensive landscaping which will link St Michaels Hill and Tyndall Avenue to Royal Fort House and its adjoining gardens.

Patrick Finch, Bursar at the University of Bristol, said: "After many years of planning and preparation, I am delighted that we have now reached the stage where a construction contract for the Bristol Life Sciences building has been signed.

"We have great confidence that VINCI Construction UK, working closely with our project managers and designers and the Estates Office Capital Projects team, will be able to deliver an outstanding result for the University. The regeneration of this key area of the precinct will help fulfil a long standing ambition in the University's Estate Masterplan and the new public realm should be a delight for staff, students and visitors alike."

(CD/GK)