United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority – Main Gate Facility

The UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) needed a new campus entrance at Culham – a secure, welcoming and sustainable gateway that reflects its work in fusion energy research and fits naturally into wider plans for a County Council bypass.

We brought together architecture, building services engineering, civil engineering, cost management, geospatial services, health and safety and structural engineering.

Seamless multidisciplinary delivery

We completed RIBA Stages 1–3+, producing a clear, coordinated design for a new gateway building and innovation centre, with upgraded access roads, pedestrian links, transport stops and parking.

Security was central to the brief, so we assessed existing conditions and planned phased construction to keep the site operational. We kept costs steady during design and used modern construction methods to speed delivery and work around constraints.

We also led the landscape design and introduced specialist lighting to create a safe, inviting arrival by day and night. Sustainability shaped every decision, with the project targeting BREEAM Excellent and a low-carbon footprint.

A future-ready campus entrance

The completed design gives UKAEA a high-quality, low-carbon gateway that reflects its ambitions for sustainable innovation. The entrance brings security, education and everyday functionality together, and sits comfortably within the County Council’s wider plans. A cost-efficient approach and modern construction methods kept the project moving and ready for the next stage.

Powering the future of clean energy

This new entrance strengthens UKAEA’s role in global fusion energy research. By creating a gateway that works in the real world – secure, sustainable and easy to use – we’ve helped support the UK’s wider ambition for a cleaner energy future.