ThinkSpace takes possesssion of landmark building at White City Campus

Imperial College London ThinkSpace has taken possession of the Translation & Innovation Hub (I-HUB) following completion by contractor Laing O'Rourke.

Imperial College London ThinkSpace has taken possession of the College’s new I-HUB, Imperial College London’s Translation & Innovation Hub, following completion of the building by contractor Laing O’Rourke. 

The £200 million I-HUB is one of the landmark buildings at Imperial College London’s White City Campus, a major research and innovation district for science, engineering, medicine and business located in White City, West London.  Laing O’Rourke was appointed to construct the Aukett Swanke and PLP Architecture designed building in 2014.

Housing a range of modern laboratories, incubator and accelerator space as well as flexible office space, the 187,400 ft² I-HUB will provide a place for corporate partners, fast-growth companies, spin-outs, start-ups and entrepreneurs to work alongside Imperial academics to grow ideas and translate cutting-edge research into commercial applications. 

Eulian Roberts, Chief Executive of Imperial College ThinkSpace, said: “The I-HUB will help businesses, both new and established, to reach new heights as they benefit from co-location with Imperial College London’s world-class academics and the wider London research community.   

“The handover of the hub marks the next exciting step in the development of the College’s White City Campus.  The Campus will be a centre for multidisciplinary research and innovation to help tackle some of the world’s most critical health, natural sciences, engineering and data challenges.  By bringing together businesses, entrepreneurs, academics and students, the Campus will create a new networked environment that will drive successful collaboration and experimentation.” 

The I-HUB is located on the northern side of the College’s 25-acre White City Campus, which is currently under development.  Postgraduate students are already living in a new high-quality accommodation block, while internal fit-out works are due to start shortly for the College’s Molecular Sciences Research Hub, a new facility for the College’s Department of Chemistry and other users.  Construction works are to begin in the coming months for the Michael Uren Biomedical Engineering Research Hub and are already underway for a major residential tower.

Photo: George Fielding Photography