Kier has landed the contract to deliver the Royal College of Art's new £56 million centre.

Located at the South Campus, the new centre will comprise a four-storey academic studio building and an eight-storey research building.

It will contain workshops, manufacturing facilities and a double-height covered street hangar space for large-scale objects to be assembled and exhibited, as well as an expanded business incubator hub for small business start-ups related to the RCA.

The centre will also provide space for 10 new programmes and the expansion of research and knowledge exchange centres.

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The development supports RCA's plan to transform into a STEAM-focused (science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics) postgraduate university.

Kier, who started on site this month, is expected to complete the project in summer 2020.

Cliff Thomas, managing director for Kier London, said: "The new flagship building marks an exciting time for the RCA and marks its transformation into a dynamic STEAM-focused postgraduate university. It is great working with such a forward-looking body.

"We have extensive experience in delivering pioneering research facilities and we're proud to be working collaboratively with the RCA to deliver this new building that will offer excellent facilities to students."

Mott MacDonald is also providing building services, civil, structural, fire, acoustic engineering, strategic brief development and cost consultancy services on the project.

(CM/MH)