After external view of current Kydd Building facade resized for web

Abertay University Kydd Building and cyberQuarter

Client: Abertay University

Sector: HEFE

Project value: £15.8m

Delivered social and economic value: £9,049,449

Local labour within 40 miles: 86%

Local spend within 40 miles: 77%

Number of apprentice and trainee opportunities: 22

Timber from sustainable sources: 100%

Waste diverted from landfill: 99%

"This first-class hub will, crucially, help Scotland to retain the huge amount of graduate talent that comes out of Abertay and our partner institutions every year, and will also act as a secure, shared space where new solutions to global cyber challenges can be addressed for the common good.”

Professor Liz Bacon

Abertay University Principal

As part of a major investment by Abertay University to create a hub for excellence and innovation, the University’s key science buildings underwent extensive upgrades and remodelling to create a new cyberQuarter, a facility that’s the first of its kind in the country.

The £18m hub, delivered by McLaughlin & Harvey through our Construction framework, was jointly funded by the University and the UK Government and Scottish Government through the Tay Cities Region Deal.

The development saw a complete refurbishment of The Kydd Building's external façade as well as the development of internal learning spaces. The cyberQuarter, situated in the Annie Lamont Building, also underwent a complete refurbishment to make it more suited for purpose, providing a new model for supporting the rapidly growing cyber sector in Scotland.

Abertay University was actively looking to improve the utilisation of existing space across the estate to maximise the benefits for students.

The Kydd Building project included a complete overhaul of the north façade, the addition of new spaces for teaching, research and innovation, and a new social area for students. It was envisaged that six elements would be undertaken to bring the desired upgrades into effect starting with the refurbishment of the "White Space" areas on the Ground and Third Floors. This was then followed by external cladding works, the creation of lecture theatres and remodeling of the building.

In addition to works on the Kydd Building, the University were keen to create a home in Scotland for cybersecurity research, innovation, and industry growth. Unused space in the University’s Annie Lamont Building was refurbished to provide a new model for supporting the rapidly growing cyber sector in a facility that’s the first of its kind in the country.

Construction took place during the COVID-19 pandemic. Whilst adhering to the construction programme, McLaughlin & Harvey safeguarded their workforce and the community through comprehensive measures implemented on-site, including daily testing and social distancing measures to limit transmission.

In addition to COVID-19, the project team were faced with other challenges including Brexit, labour and material shortages and price fluctuations.

Construction was also undertaken in a live teaching environment. A detailed Traffic Management Plan was implemented with segregated pedestrian and traffic entrances; a gate-person managed all traffic, and deliveries were scheduled to avoid busy study times. In addition, the team liaised with teaching staff to ensure works didn’t impact the learning environment and we scheduled works around the exam timetable to avoid undue noise, dust or distractions.

The Kydd Building renovation has improved the visual appearance of the University, creating a distinctive new landmark for passers-by, potential students and drivers using the neighbouring A991 dual carriageway. Internally, the new space provides a range of teaching options for the students and lecturers enhancing their overall learning experience.

In addition to a physical space for collaboration between industry and academia, the Abertay cyberQuarter - based in the University’s Annie Lamont Building - has a secure cloud-computing infrastructure that will be used for specialist online teaching and provision of R&D and knowledge exchange activities. The new hub provides a flexible range of open plan spaces for group working, private office accommodation for use by businesses and new start-up companies, seminar rooms for training, an events space, an outdoor terrace and a lecture theatre.

Abertay cyberQuarter has become a new, thriving hub for R&D, business development and innovation. It now provides a home and focal point for Scotland’s cybersecurity, where industry can mix with academic expertise, and have access to the very best of graduate talent.

"Today is a truly landmark moment for Abertay University as we create a new home for Scotland’s cybersecurity community, around which the sector can be supported to experiment, develop and thrive."

Professor Liz Bacon

Abertay University Principal

“We are proud to have been the principal contractor for the university’s redevelopment of the Annie Lamont Building into the Abertay Cyberquarter. It’s great to have worked with the university and the Scape Scotland framework team to deliver this innovative Tay Cities Region Deal project, which has provided Dundee with another refurbished building for education, collaboration and employment. The project has also made a significant contribution to social value through local spend and investment in the training of students.”

Paul Griffen

Managing Director | McLaughlin & Harvey

100%

timber from sustainable sources

99%

waste diverted from landfill

86%

Local labour within 40 miles