Digi-Tech Factory, City College Norwich

Value - £9.5m | Client - City College Norwich

A ground-breaking new digital technology centre aimed at boosting hi-tech skills and jobs in the Norfolk region.

The Digi-Tech Factory at City College Norwich (CCN) is a new teaching and learning space accommodating all of the college’s digital courses in one purpose-built, high-tech space and facility.

We provided geoenvironmental, civil and structural engineering services on this project, which has enabled CCN to significantly increase the number of students and apprentices on digital skills courses, an area that has been identified as a key skills priority locally and nationally.

A fascinating challenge with this structure was the specific attention to detail of the steelwork which was exposed to provide an industrial factory feel. Designed by Coffey Architects, the thoughtful design of this facility perfectly blended the school-like environment with a creative industry atmosphere to prepare students for future employment. The building's exterior features bespoke perforated patterns on the panels designed to replicate historic computer tape, digital code and binary sequences.

The use of ground-breaking mixed reality holographic technology was also trialled on the scheme with XLWerks. The use of mixed reality (a combination of virtual reality and augmented reality) enabled us to interact with three-dimensional structures in real-time and delivered new, more efficient ways of working, learning and designing for the built environment.

This pioneering new study facility is now a local centre of excellence for students and apprentices of the future.

The scheme was highly commended in the Digital Innovation Award category at the Constructing Excellence National Awards 2021.

In April 2022, the scheme also won the Project of the Year award at the Norfolk Constructing Excellence Awards.

Testimonial:

“Working closely with the project team, Clancy Consulting was key to developing the structural strategy for the groundbreaking Digi-Tech Building.  The design concept was to produce a contemporary, industry standard teaching facility reflecting the requirements of the developing digital arts industry.  With a stripped down interior, it was key that the structure was designed to complement the pared back interior design, with exposed steel frame and building services.  Clancy achieved this and have contributed towards producing a unique building, ready for occupation in September 2021, which will contribute to the future development of digital arts in the Eastern Region.”

Jon Bonham
Director of Estates and Facilities, Norfolk Educational Services