THE £40 million ONE BioHub, a new building for life sciences in Aberdeen, has officially launched.
Robertson Construction was the main contractor on the project and the building was designed by BDP.
The facility has been tipped to be a focal point for action and investment to diversify the economy and maximise the impact of science and technology from within life sciences companies, the University of Aberdeen, Robert Gordon University and NHS Grampian. It will accommodate up to 400 bio-entrepreneurs at full occupancy.
An Aberdeen City Region Deal innovation project, ONE BioHub is led and co-funded by Opportunity North East (ONE) with funding from the UK Government, Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise. The University of Aberdeen and NHS Grampian are strategic partners and have provided the site for ONE BioHub, in Aberdeen’s Foresterhill Health Campus.
Sir Ian Wood KT GBE, chair of ONE, said, “ONE BioHub will be the transformational place in the north east of Scotland for the entrepreneurial life sciences community and growth sector to meet, share, learn, start up, innovate and grow. It will be a new game-changing technology and business cluster in Aberdeen, accelerating life sciences commercialisation, translating research into solutions in the market, improving health and wellbeing, creating high-growth businesses and high-value jobs, and harnessing the potential of science, technology and innovation to diversify the economy. This adds an exciting new business dimension to our economy.”
Scottish Government innovation minister Richard Lochhead commented, “ONE BioHub will be a tremendous asset for the north east and the whole of Scotland. It will allow the already thriving life sciences cluster in the region to continue growing, innovating and succeeding. This includes important work in developing innovative treatments for conditions like Alzheimer’s Disease and cancer.”
UK Government minister for Scotland, Malcolm Offord, added, “This fantastic ONE BioHub facility is an important new platform for the region’s life sciences industries, and I have no doubt that it will rapidly forge an international reputation for excellence.”
Elliot Robertson, CEO of Robertson Group, said, “ONE BioHub is one of many projects being delivered by Opportunity North East (ONE) that not only lead to economic diversification in the region, but put it firmly on the global stage through its commitment to assisting the life sciences through innovation and commercialisation. As the delivery partner of choice for ONE BioHub, we have been working with the local community throughout the build, supporting construction apprenticeships and careers and skills sessions with school pupils.
“ONE BioHub has been used to inspire and expand knowledge since its inception and will continue to be a place of collaboration with the potential to address global health challenges, whilst creating employment and opportunity.”
Christoph Ackermann, principal, BDP (Building Design Partnership Ltd), commented, “The Opportunities North East (ONE) team is very visionary in its leadership, particularly around economic development and innovation and this is a great example of their commitment to that. The ONE team have a strong appreciation of the importance of collaboration and understanding of how the right environment can facilitate knowledge clusters and accelerate innovation.
“The BioHub is the built manifestation of our client’s mission to drive transformational change to diversify north east Scotland’s economy. The design and layout of the building enables and encourages research in the life science sector to co-locate and to collaborate on the Foresterhill Health Campus. The fully electric building supports life science innovation, economic development and the drive to net zero.”
