Innovative research centre heralds new mode of design
Release Date : 22 January 2010
A new research centre to create novel engineering solutions for designers of buildings and infrastructures in the digital age has been officially opened at the University of Reading.
The Design Innovation Research Centre (DIRC) is closely associated with the Innovative Construction Research Centre (ICRC) and was declared open by the Dean of the Faculty of Science, Professor Steven Mithen, on Thursday, 21 January.
It has been set up within the School of Construction Management and Engineering and is funded for five years by a £1 million grant from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council's 'Challenging Engineering Programme'.
Dr Jennifer Whyte, Director of the Design Innovation Research Centre, said new tools and processes were needed by engineers and designers in the 21st Century.
"Innovation in design is crucial to UK competitiveness and sustainability," she said. "By understanding what people are doing in industry, we can work to improve their systems and processes and help them make better design decisions.
"We can look at problems or challenges facing very complex international projects which have people working on them across the world. In these cases it is vital that they share a single source of design data. We can create virtual models that develop the processes needed for this to happen."
Professor Mithen said: "The Design Innovation Research Centre will have a major transformative impact on the UK construction industry. It arises from the personal vision of Jennifer Whyte, a vision that combines extensive knowledge about the needs of industry, technical excellence, creativity and ambition.
"The centre exemplifies how the School of Construction Management brings innovative research to bear on practical problems and why it attracts staff and students from throughout the world to work and study at the University of Reading."
DIRC is multi-disciplinary and its aims are to develop international best practice, create new engineering solutions through design innovation and become an internationally-led research centre.
For further information please visit the Centre's website http://www.reading.ac.uk/designinnovation/