Go ahead for new fabrication facility

The latest phase of Cardiff University’s £300m Innovation Campus, which will house the Institute for Compound Semiconductors’ new state-of-the-art fabrication facility, has been approved by city planners.

The new fabrication line will exist in one of two new buildings, each covering 12,000 square metres, which are currently being developed on Cardiff’s brownfield Maindy Park. With a 59-foot office, new characterization and clean rooms, the new facility will enable researchers and industry to work together to trial new manufacturing technologies from ideas to prototype.

As well as its new fabrication facility, the Institute will enjoy interactive working and laboratory spaces, social facilities, as well as a Ted-ex style event space. The Institute will also offer lettable office and lab space to businesses who want to work directly with the Institute and wider University.

The Institute will share the Campus with other innovative facilities, including Cardiff Catalysis Institute, Social Science Research Park (SPARK) and the Innovation Centre, a creative base start-ups.

The Innovation Campus, designed by architecture practices Hawkins/Brown and HOK, intends to bring together researchers, businesses, public sector backers and students to enable cutting-edge research, technology transfer, business development and student enterprise. The facility will be open for business in 2019.