Collaboration space. (Image: Chris Duguid)
The facility has been designed to support research, teaching and industry partnerships, with a focus on renewable energy systems, future electronics and hands-on learning.
A £2 million grant from the Wolfson Foundation also funded the creation of the Wolfson Electrical Power Conversion Lab, which will support research into offshore renewable energy.
University of Edinburgh – Engineering Forum. (Image: Chris Duguid)
The building includes high-specification laboratories, innovation hubs and shared collaboration areas aimed at encouraging interdisciplinary work.
Student spaces include a teaching studio, an innovation lab and dedicated support facilities.
Four teaching rooms have been named after influential women engineers, including Maria Watkins, the first woman to study electrical engineering at Edinburgh and a former president of the Women’s Engineering Society.
Maria Watkins Teaching Room. (Image: Chris Duguid)
The university’s Institute for Energy Systems has also expanded its facilities within the Forum, adding new laboratories and workspaces to support research into low-carbon energy systems, technology and policy.
The Engineering Forum forms part of the wider redevelopment of the King’s Buildings campus, following the opening of the Nucleus Building in 2022.
Wolfson Power Conversion Lab. (Image: Chris Duguid)
Professor Guangzhao Mao, head of the School of Engineering, said: “The Engineering Forum provides an outstanding environment for both teaching and research.
“Designed to support innovative approaches to integrated learning and discovery, it equips students with the skills and experience required to shape the future of engineering and technology.
“As a focal point for engineering excellence, it reinforces the University’s standing as a global leader in research and innovation, while enhancing the student experience and contributing to Scotland’s reputation as a centre for technological advancement.”
It is also the seventh project delivered for the university by contractors, McLaughlin & Harvey.
Dougie McCusker, construction director at McLaughlin & Harvey, said: “We’re proud to have delivered our 7th project for our valued client, the University of Edinburgh.
“Working within a live campus environment can present its challenges, however, close collaboration with the university and our design partners has resulted in a cutting-edge learning space for future students studying at the University’s new School of Engineering building.”