Lab and Facilities

Helix

HELIX is the University of Leeds’ premier digital learning and innovation hub, acting as an open-access sandbox for interdisciplinary collaboration, creative technology, and public engagement. Located on campus, HELIX bridges academic research and real-world application through cutting-edge facilities, including high-spec Extended Reality (XR) suites for virtual and augmented reality development, a hands-on Makerspace for physical 3D prototyping, and professional audio-visual media production studios. By providing open access to emerging technologies and flexible co-creation zones, HELIX empowers students, researchers, and regional cultural partners to design immersive experiences, digitize heritage, and pioneer new creative methodologies.

A man with a Virtual Reality headset on his face stands in a big room

X Lab

The X Lab is the School of Design’s flagship digital design and prototyping facility at the University of Leeds, driving innovation at the intersection of creative technology, material culture, and user experience. Built as an agile experimental sandbox, the lab provides advanced hardware and software environments tailored for physical-digital integration, extended reality (XR) modeling, digital fashion, interactive media, and sustainable design research. By equipping researchers, students, and industry partners with cutting-edge 3D scanning, immersive visualization, and computational design tools, the X Lab enables the translation of complex creative concepts into tangible prototypes and interactive installations. Positioned as a key collaborative hub within the university, it connects academic design methodologies with regional creative industries and cultural heritage sectors, empowering multidisciplinary teams to explore how emerging technologies shape human experience, digital artifacts, and inclusive public storytelling.

A white room with computers and technology

The Centre for Immersive Technologies (CfIT)

The Centre for Immersive Technologies (CfIT) drives human-centered innovation in virtual, augmented, and mixed realities (XR) across the University of Leeds. Operating from flagship facilities like HELIX, CfIT unites experts in technology, design, and research to create meaningful public impact.

In close partnership with the Cultural Institute, CfIT bridges cutting-edge XR research with the creative and heritage sectors. Together, they empower researchers, artists, and cultural institutions – including galleries, libraries, archives, and museums – to reimagine audience engagement. Through collaborative R&D, interactive 3D digital twins, and immersive storytelling, CfIT transforms how diverse publics encounter and experience cultural heritage in the digital age.