Milton Keynes Council Announce Winning Plans for MK University
Milton Keynes is further cementing its position as a UK tech hub with the development of ‘MK:U, a ‘new model’ university within the Oxford-Cambridge. The new University which will be opening in 2023 and will look to go beyond the scope of a traditional university with a special focus on STEM subjects including, digital, robotics and artificial intelligence.
As part of the development process Milton Keynes council and Cranfield University set up the MK:U International Design Competition. The design project looked to garner attention from across the globe to design a state-of-the-art, inventive, high tech University campus. The judging panel, which included Santander UK CEO Nathan Bostock, ITV’s non-executive chairman Sir Peter Bazalgette, professor Dame Madeleine Atkins, and was chaired by chief executive and vice-chancellor of Cranfield University, professor Sir Peter Gregson received 53 submissions made up of 257 individual firms from across the globe.
The winning entry was from Hopkins architects, the designers behind Harvard University’s new Smith Campus Center, as well as the London 2012 Velodrome and the award-winning WWF Living Planet Centre eco-building. Mike Taylor, principal, Hopkins Architects, added, “This commission is special because MK:U presents a unique opportunity to rethink higher education through its radical curriculum focusing on the digital economy.”
“As a Milton Keynes based tech company it’s great to see so much investment in the future of STEM careers in our hometown. Milton Keynes is at the centre of the Oxford – Cambridge growth corridor, and is the fastest growing city in the UK. The dynamic design and development plans for MK University really show what an exciting time it is for the city and why MK is uniquely placed to be a crucial UK tech hub for the future”
Robin North, Immense CEO
You can find out more about the winning design and plans for the university here.