UCA wins one-million pound
research grant

UCA Canterbury's School of Architecture has won a one-million-pound research grant to upgrade its architectural and design facility, making it a hub for architecture and design research and innovation.

15 May 2023

The funding will be spent on creating a state-of-the-art TrakLab facility at the University for the Creative Arts (UCA) School of Architecture and Design, and will be used for activities that address current challenges in the sector and the climate emergency. 

The facility will give the university cutting-edge abilities in advanced digital recording, scanning, movement tracking, and augmented and virtual reality, which will be used in architectural and spatial design research.

The funding is part of a plan by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) to expand and upgrade the UK's world class research infrastructure, including digital infrastructure. £103 million will support the sector and ensure Uk researchers have access to the best labs and equipment they need to keep producing world-class science.

Internally, the new, upgraded technology will enable UCA Canterbury to become a focal point for its world-class research community, externally it will shape the future of buildings and places in the East Kent region by supporting and collaborating with local architectural and design practices and initiatives.

Professor Colin Holden, Director of the School of Architecture and Design, said: “A lack of digital skills and cutting-edge equipment is the third biggest challenge to face architects wanting to adopt new technologies. Our upgraded TrakLab will not only consolidate UCA Canterbury as a global research authority, but it will also provide the region’s architecture, design and fabrication industries with immeasurable benefits for greater skills, knowledge exchange, and capacity.”

Shaped to local business need, this investment in the East Kent creative network will support the UK’s creative and cultural economy. It will provide a space for collaboration, research, and access to knowledge and facilities while allowing UCA to grow and consolidate its world-leading research.

To learn more about the latest research innovation at UCA, visit the Research pages.