Willmott Dixon held a big event to mark progress at Queen Mary University of London's Mile End campus, where it is transforming the Information Teaching Laboratory (ITL) - a retrofit and extension that will deliver cutting-edge facilities for the next generation of AI and data science pioneers.
The project, procured via the SCAPE Construction framework, which accelerates delivery whilst ensuring both time and cost certainty for public sector clients, is retaining much of the existing building's structure while adding two new floors of education space to meet growing demand for informatics teaching.
When complete in Q1 2026, the building will provide 160 additional workspaces for students undertaking coursework, group projects, and extracurricular experiments.
Representatives from Willmott Dixon, Queen Mary's Faculty of Science and Engineering, Purcell Architecture, and WT Partnership gathered on site to see latest progress.
The project exemplifies sustainable retrofit at its best, with comprehensive upgrades including a complete façade replacement, green roof installation, PV panels, and air source heat pumps to dramatically improve the building's energy efficiency and thermal performance. Enhanced public realm works will also incorporate biodiversity improvements around the building.
It marks a significant step forward for Queen Mary, reflecting the commitment to sustainable design, innovation, and enhancing the student experience. It reinforces Willmott Dixon’s position as the UK's leading contractor for delivering sustainable education buildings, following its recent completion of Hounsome Fields School - a new 420 pupil primary school in Hampshire targeting Passivhaus Classic Certification.
Professor Colin Bailey CBE, President and Principal of Queen Mary: "Today's event marks not just the physical progress of a building, but the symbolic rise of a vision - one rooted in our 2030 Strategy to open the doors of opportunity. This project exemplifies our commitment to sustainability, innovation, and inclusion. It's a space designed not just for today's learners, but for tomorrow's pioneers in AI, data science, and digital technologies."
Richard Poulter, Managing Director for Willmott Dixon in the South: "Our team is thrilled to be involved in the transformation of the ITL building at Queen Mary University of London. This project perfectly demonstrates our long-term ambition to contribute to a more sustainable building stock, combining innovative retrofit design with advanced sustainability measures. We are proud to play a role in delivering a facility that will support both academic excellence and environmental stewardship for years to come, helping Queen Mary meet the growing demand for informatics teaching they are experiencing."
Mark Robinson, Group Chief Executive at SCAPE: “Sustainability is at the core of across every SCAPE framework, so it is fantastic to be partnering with Willmott Dixon on such a transformational project that puts sustainable design solutions at its heart. By integrating low carbon solutions, this scheme will not only deliver exceptional value for money but also generate lasting environmental benefits. This is a project to be truly proud of.”
The ITL project comes as Willmott Dixon marks 20 years of successful partnership with SCAPE - a collaboration that saw the recent delivery of Paddock SEND School in Tooting, which is targeting net zero in operation.
Willmott Dixon is also working with Queen Mary on their new seven-storey School of Business and Management (SBM) building on the Mile End Campus, secured earlier this year. When complete, it will deliver a mix of high-quality, flexible learning and teaching spaces replacing the old facility.
Both projects represent major investments for one of the UK's leading research-focused universities, which serves over 32,000 students on degree programmes.
