A university building once used for marine technology has been shortlisted for a property award.
Southampton Solent University named the building in honour of hovercraft inventor Sir Christopher Cockerell, and it was constructed as a single-storey marine technology workshop.
It has since been shortlisted in the Repurposing Project of the Year category at the South Coast Property Awards 2026.
Southampton Solent University’s SMART Centre has been shortlisted in the South Coast Property Awards 2026 in the Repurposing Project of the Year category. (Image: Agility PR/Solent University)
Matt Johnson, director of the South Coast IoT, said: “Being shortlisted for this award is fantastic recognition of the vision behind the SMART Centre and the impact it is already having.
“This facility is giving students access to industry-standard environments where they can develop the skills, confidence and experience employers are looking for.”
The £9 million refurbishment project transformed the Southampton city centre building into the SMART Centre, following its original construction in the 1960s as part of the former Southampton College of Technology.
A distinctive feature of the building is its basement water tank used for model ship testing, a legacy detail retained during the extensive renovation.
The renovation team—comprising Francis Construction, Peter Marsh Consulting, and PDP Architecture—faced the challenge of preserving the historic tank room while redesigning the remainder of the building.
The updated space now serves the South Coast Institute of Technology (South Coast IoT), a collaboration of two universities, four colleges and employers across the south of England.
Cathy Barnes, Pro Vice-Chancellor Research and Academic Strategy Planning at Solent University, said: “This shortlisting highlights our commitment to delivering high-quality, future-focused learning environments.
“The SMART Centre exemplifies how we are investing in facilities and partnerships that directly respond to the needs of industry, ensuring that we produce career ready graduates with the professional skills, technical expertise and confidence to succeed.”
The centre now houses teaching areas, labs, and specialist workshops for marine, engineering, and technology courses.
Southampton Solent University’s SMART Centre has been shortlisted in the South Coast Property Awards 2026 in the Repurposing Project of the Year category. (Image: Agility PR/Solent University)
By retaining the building’s primary steel structure and foundations, the project avoided the carbon impact of demolition and is an approach that can reduce embodied carbon by up to 75 per cent.
The facility was completed in time for the 2025–26 academic year and was officially opened by The Princess Royal in January.
Solent University is the lead partner of the South Coast IoT, which is supported by more than £15 million in funding from the Department for Education.