The university hopes its Keystone building will help attract world-class talent to the city and be a “beacon of hope” for net zero developments.

Set for the largest plot at the former Western Infirmary site, the HOK-designed facility would be a six-storey and over 26,000 sq m large structure at the eastern edge of St Mungo Square, making it the centrepiece of the entire Gilmorehill campus.

It will have capacity for 520 academic staff and post-graduate researchers and nearly 3,900 undergraduate learning seats. There will be nearly 1,900 general teaching seats, 915 computer seats and 960 ‘super lab’ teaching seats.

The university said the name of the building is inspired by the dual role it has in “securing the vision for the Western campus, and in the opportunities it will unlock for the rest of the university”.

A design statement included with the planning application explained: “The Keystone building represents an opportunity for the University to create a building that is not only unique and fulfils an urgent requirement for high-quality learning, teaching and research space. But becomes a world-class exemplar of sustainable development that addresses the climate and bio-diversity emergency — in essence, a beacon of hope that we can deliver whole life, net zero carbon buildings now.

“The academic success of this building will be in creating a vibrant and inspirational place to attract and retain the world’s most talented staff and students to study and work.

“And finally, the building itself becomes the fourth generation of multi-use building in the nearly 600 years of the University of Glasgow history.

“The new Keystone building presents an opportunity to shift the centre of gravity of the University of Glasgow campus.”

It added: “Both research and teaching facilities are impacted by significant growth year upon year, and ageing facilities that do not address current needs in a manner consistent with the world-class reputation of the university.

“The new Keystone building seeks to address the need in a way that creates next-generation state-of-the-art facilities that push the boundaries of interdisciplinary collaboration with agile spaces that flex over the life of the building.”

Planning permission on principle was granted for the project in 2017.

Glasgow City Council’s planning committee is expected to make a decision by Thursday, October 31.