Four firms pricing huge £300m Imperial College building that will specialise in AI

Four firms are pricing a huge scheme to build a new academic building in west London specialising in Artificial Intelligence for Imperial College.

Building understands Multiplex, Mace, Bovis and Sir Robert McAlpine all picked up tender documents last week for the £300m deal which has been designed by Allies and Morrison.

Imperial has said the 12-storey building would “create a powerful engine for data science, AI and machine learning by bringing together computer scientists, mathematicians and business experts”.

Careys has been on site carrying out enabling works for the work which will be built on a plot near the A40 flyover, better known as the Westway.

A month-long public consultation on the proposals closed last week and under Imperial’s timetable a planning application to Hammersmith and Fulham council will be submitted by the end of the year in the hope that main construction work can start by the middle of 2026 with completion slated for the end of 2029.

The scheme would include a range of research and laboratory spaces plus public amenities such as cafés and exhibition areas.

Imperial has said 1,531sq m of green space will be incorporated across six terraces and four green roofs “providing new landscaped spaces for relaxing and socialising that support the wellbeing of students, staff and visitors”.

The university is also planning to build a commercial scheme next door to the planned new building.

This will be developed in a joint venture with Bruntwood, making it the Manchester developer’s first foray into the London market.

Designed by KPF, the scheme was initially planned to be aimed at the life sciences sector but this has been switched to financial tech amid fears the life sciences market has reached saturation point.

Building understands the value of the work will be at least £100m but the timetable for the job is still being worked out.

The schemes are part of a wider masterplan for the White City which includes Imperial’s campus.

The campus already includes over 100 companies and more than 5,000 students and academics based there across 1.5m sq ft. When complete, Imperial says the campus will have 25,000 people living, working and studying there across 3.8m sq ft.