£40m flagship building, The Catalyst, showcased in virtual fly-through

Staffordshire University’s upcoming £40m flagship building has been brought to life in a new virtual fly-through video tour

The Catalyst is due to open in in Autumn 2021

The University is very much looking forward to watching The Catalyst continue to take shape over the next 12 months. The flagship facility will be a landmark development in the heart of Stoke-on-Trent and will add to the University’s work to grow the numbers of skilled apprentices and raise education levels in Staffordshire and beyond.

Professor Martin Jones, Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Staffordshire University

The fly-through shows visitors inside the 8,800 sqm, four-storey building, showcasing its designated social learning areas, food court and flexible event space. Once complete the new building will act as a study base at the University’s Leek Road Campus in Stoke-on-Trent for 6,500 new apprenticeships by 2030.

Due to open in Autumn 2021, The Catalyst has a modern yet functional design, supported by a striking angular brick frame, a flexible, open-plan space comprising of a glass frontage at ground level and a distinctive design on the upper storeys.

Despite the ongoing challenges posed by the Coronavirus pandemic, construction of The Catalyst has continued. The building columns between the ground floor and mezzanine have now been installed. Works continue to the upper floors of the concrete frame, whilst the next phase of the project will see the installation of the building envelope and internal fit out.

Professor Martin Jones, Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Staffordshire University said, “The University is very much looking forward to watching The Catalyst continue to take shape over the next 12 months. The flagship facility will be a landmark development in the heart of Stoke-on-Trent and will add to the University’s work to grow the numbers of skilled apprentices and raise education levels in Staffordshire and beyond.”

Unjulee Karadia, Associate Director at Mace, said; “We are delighted to be working alongside VINCI and Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios for Staffordshire University, and we’re excited to see the construction of the scheme unfold. The project will be transformational for the University and the fly-through video tour paints the picture of how this fantastic educational development will take shape.”

Michael Roadnight, Regional Director of Vinci Construction, stated, “The project is progressing at a pace and VINCI have taken several measures to minimise the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic. The project is in an exciting phase with the shape and size of the structure beginning to take shape. The fly-through video tour provides an excellent visualisation which showcases facilities ahead of overall completion.”

Hugo Marrack,Partner at Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios added, “We are very excited to be a part of Staffordshire University’s ambitious Catalyst Project. The building has been designed to have a bold and striking character, incorporating excellence in construction and sustainability that aligns with the University’s own pursuit of excellence in education.”

Watch The Catalyst fly-through video below.

For more information and to watch The Catalyst construction updates please visit https://www.staffs.ac.uk/go/catalyst

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