Mace Construct has signed the main construction contract for Vulcan 20-20, a major scientific infrastructure project that will deliver the world’s most powerful lasers at the Science and Technology Facilities Council’s (STFC) Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in Oxfordshire.
The project will provide the specialist infrastructure needed to house and operate the world’s most powerful laser.
Following the successful completion of enabling works, the project now moves into its main construction phase. Vulcan 20-20 will replace the existing Vulcan laser, which has supported pioneering research in plasma physics and high-energy density science for over four decades.
The new facility will house a 20 Petawatt laser system—capable of delivering, in a single laser pulse, sufficient energy to help scientists recreate and study the extreme conditions found in space, explore new ways to produce clean energy through fusion, and push the boundaries of physics to uncover entirely new discoveries about how the universe works. Mace Construct will lead the construction of two seven-metre-tall targeting bunkers, with walls and soffits up to two metres thick, formed using a specialised radiation-resistant concrete mix designed to shield beams a billion times hotter than the brightest sunlight.
Designed to meet the exacting standards of ultra-high precision environments, the building will feature specialist shielding, vibration isolation and ultra-clean spaces to support the performance of the laser system.
This latest appointment for Mace Construct follows the delivery of the Rosalind Franklin Institute, the National Satellite Test Facility and the Extreme Photonics Applications Centre at STFC’s Rutherford Appleton Laboratory campus. To maintain continuity of expertise, Mace will continue working with the same project team: Fairhurst Design Group, Glanville, Hoare Lea, BB7 and RSK.
Rob Lemming, Managing Director for Public Sector and Life Sciences at Mace Construct, said: “Vulcan 20-20 is a landmark project for UK science and presents complex technical challenges, but our team’s experience at Harwell and our track record in delivering high-performance environments means we’re ready to meet them.”
The contract was awarded through the Southern Construction Framework. Construction is expected to complete in 2027, with commissioning and scientific operations to follow.
