Sighthill

Campus for Faculty of Health, Life & Social Sciences

Scotland’s newest hub for health, science and sports education opened its doors to more than 5,000 students and staff on 10 January 2011. The 89-week redevelopment project saw the building delivered on schedule in October 2010 and within budget.  At the core of the building, is the eight storey spinal block which was retained from the old building, while a further 13,833m² was developed around it.

The new £60m campus is home to the Faculty of Health, Life & Social Sciences, who are located under the same roof for the first time. It also houses a number of our professional service departments.

The state-of-the-art campus provides a modern purpose-built sustainable building with premier teaching and learning facilities, including:

• 22 seminar rooms, 25 specialised teaching rooms,  nine clinical skills laboratories - such as life-like Hospital Wards including High Dependency Unit (HDU) simulator suites which mimic intensive care treatment areas for training nurses, state-of-the-art crime scene and forensics rooms, six project rooms and five research rooms. 
• [EN]GAGE sports centre which, in addition to a 200m² gym and 1200m² sports hall, includes a biomechanics laboratory and an environmental chamber which can recreate high altitude conditions and different temperatures.
• A five-storey Learning Resource Centre (library and IT facilities) with floor to ceiling windows on the top floor which enjoy a 180° spectacular panorama view taking in Blackford Hill, Corstorphine Hill, Edinburgh Castle and Arthur’s Seat.
• Three modern lecture theatres, the largest holds 350 people.
• An open plan, four-storey atrium with a healthy eating café and Starbucks franchise.

The new campus is a beacon of sustainability and was awarded BREAMM excellence as a result of the design brief considering environmental factors from day one of the process.
 
As well low carbon emissions and effective overall energy performance a key part of the design, during construction, 8,000m³ of demolition material was recycled and incorporated into the new building.