The award recognises innovation in the creation of inspiring spaces that help to promote different and new ways of learning and teaching.
Opened to staff and students in late January, the state-of-the-art Engineering Heartspace houses teaching and social spaces under a new, impressive curved glass roof which links the Grade II listed Sir Frederick Mappin Building and the 1885 Central Wing.
Alongside the new laboratories, office space and café, the Engineering Heartspace has its own Employability Hub which is committed to helping students and businesses collaborate, as well as bringing ‘real world experience’ to the forefront of student experience in the University’s Faculty of Engineering.
Keith Lilley, Director of Infrastructure for the University of Sheffield, said: “It’s fantastic news that the Engineering Heartspace has been recognised for the innovative way that the design of the building has played a part in transforming the way our student and staff study and work together.
“We are rightfully proud of how our estate supports our academic community in research, learning and teaching.”
The new facilities include a dedicated employability hub, designed to help businesses from the Sheffield City Region, across the UK and around the world to meet face-to-face with engineering students to aid collaborations. The facilities also make industrial placements, internships, skills sessions and graduate opportunities more accessible than ever for students.