Lancaster were looking to provide a ‘platform’ for open innovation, drawing together innovators, academics, health and care providers, businesses and members of the public to co-create and co-evaluate innovations designed to improve health and healthcare.
Whilst the open innovative nature meant that the Innovation Campus was designed to be open to any form of innovation, in its first phase there was a particular (but not exclusive) focus on the role of digital technology.
We developed academic accommodation designed to enable inter-disciplinary working and to allow the relocation and expansion of the Faculty of Health and Medicine, housing the Medical School, the Division of Health Research, the Centre for Education, Training and Development and Faculty Offices. Business space were also integrated, with a focus on SMEs, but open to all commercial businesses, creating opportunities for co-location and collaboration with the University, other businesses and healthcare providers.
We designed the SME accommodation to facilitate interdisciplinary collaborations giving access to new ideas, suppliers, customers and partners critical to business growth and innovation.
The space now provides a best in class facility - flexible co-location and incubation spaces for business, academia and students to develop and implement innovative new business models. Providing a supportive environment that allows social capital and networks to develop over time.