Its £56m building project will involve a long 4-storey Studio Building with workshops, teaching and exhibition space alongside an 8-storey Research Building for materials science, advanced manufacturing and driverless car design.

The 170,000 sq ft  project will spearhead the famous art school’s shift towards a science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics-focused postgraduate university.

Research building for materials science and advanced manufacturing design

The project due for completion in summer 2020.

Cliff Thomas, managing director for Kier London, said: “We have extensive experience in delivering pioneering research facilities and we’re proud to be working collaboratively with the RCA to deliver this new building that will offer excellent facilities to students.”

Other partners for the project include architect Herzog & de Meuron and Mott MacDonald, which is providing building services, civil, structural, fire and acoustic engineering as well as strategic brief development and cost consultancy services.