Venue at a glance
The Wave is a purpose-built conference, teaching and event building on the University of Sheffield campus. Opened in early 2023 and designed with sustainability at its heart, it offers large lecture theatres, a bright atrium exhibition space, seminar rooms, computer rooms, breakout spaces, a debating chamber and specialist journalism and media facilities.
The building has three large lecture theatres on the ground floor, with the biggest holding up to 400 guests, plus two further upstairs theatres each holding 120, making it well suited to plenary conferences, parallel sessions and multi-room academic programmes. Its BREEAM Outstanding certification, glass-filled atrium and distinctive media offer make it especially relevant for academic, research, media, journalism and sustainability-led event briefs.
Why choose this venue
The Wave is one of the University of Sheffield's newest major buildings and was designed around sustainability from the outset. It has BREEAM Outstanding certification and uses features such as geo-exchange heating and cooling, renewable energy and low-carbon design choices.
The building has three large lecture theatres on the ground floor, with the biggest holding up to 400 guests, plus two further upstairs theatres each holding 120. This makes it well suited to plenary conferences, parallel sessions and multi-room academic programmes.
The Wave's glass-filled atrium provides a natural central space for exhibitions, product showcases, information stands, poster displays, registration and networking. It gives conference programmes a clear hub rather than relying only on lecture theatres.
The Wave includes newsrooms, media booths, a Creative Media Team Journalism Suite and an ILab. This makes it especially relevant for media, journalism, communications, research, digital and innovation-led events.
The venue sits on the University of Sheffield campus, with bus stops close by and the University tram stop around 10 minutes' walk away. Cycle parking, showers, lockers, accessible parking and EV charging add practical options for delegates travelling locally.
Planning details
Best for
- Conferences up to 400 theatre style
- Academic conferences and symposia
- Sustainability-led events
- Research events
- Exhibitions and poster sessions
- Multi-stream conferences
- Media and journalism events
- Panel events and debates
- Digital training and software workshops
- Events encouraging active travel
Less suited to
- Residential events needing bedrooms in the same building (The Wave has no on-site accommodation)
- Weddings and private celebrations (The Wave is primarily a teaching, conference and academic events building)
- Events needing published capacities for every breakout room before enquiry
- Events needing confirmed full AV detail before enquiry
- Large conferences above 400 in one theatre
- Events needing on-site general parking (on-site parking is limited to accessible and EV parking; general parking is nearby)
- Luxury hotel-style hospitality
Catering
- Model Catering is provided by WithUS, the hospitality and events arm of the University of Sheffield. The venue includes a café serving area and kitchen on Floor A, and conference catering can be arranged for events at The Wave. Available styles include conference refreshments, delegate catering, working lunches, bespoke event menus, café service and delivered catering.
- External External catering policy should be confirmed with the venue.
- Bars Bar arrangements are not confirmed in the provided material and should be checked directly with the venue.
- Dietary WithUS publishes an allergy statement and supports a range of dietary requirements. Specific dietary needs should be confirmed when booking.
Accessibility
- Features Accessible parking
- EV charging
- Main entrance
- Rear entrance
- Cycle parking
- Showers and lockers
- Caveat Detailed accessibility information is not fully published in the provided material. Confirm step-free routes, lifts, accessible toilets, hearing support, accessible seating in lecture theatres and access between floors directly with the venue before confirming suitability.
Sustainability
- Details The Wave is one of the strongest sustainability-led venues in the WithUS portfolio. It has BREEAM Outstanding certification and was awarded Social Infrastructure Project of the Year at the British Construction Industry Awards 2024. The building uses a geo-exchange heating and cooling system, extensive natural light, renewable energy procurement across the University estate, local low-carbon materials, water filtration and reusable glass bottles for delegates. Cycle parking, showers, lockers and EV charging support lower-impact travel choices. WithUS also references wider sustainability measures including electric delivery vehicles, food waste reduction, local sourcing and reduced single-use plastics.
Space combinations
- Lecture Theatre 1 and atrium The core combination for larger conferences — Lecture Theatre 1 hosts the keynote or plenary, while the atrium supports registration, catering, exhibition stands, poster displays and networking
- Lecture Theatre 1 with Lecture Theatres 2, 3 and 4 Multi-stream conference programmes with a main plenary and parallel sessions, useful for academic conferences, symposia and training programmes that need several theatre-style rooms in one building
- Atrium, Debating Chamber and seminar rooms Events built around panels, discussion, networking and smaller breakout groups — works particularly well for policy, research, academic and social science events
- Lecture theatres with computer rooms Digital, data, research, software and technology training events where delegates move from presentation sessions into hands-on computer-based workshops
- Media suite with Debating Chamber Journalism, communications, media, content and policy events — the Debating Chamber supports discussion-led formats while the media spaces support practical or production-led activity
Compare event spaces
Lecture Theatre 1
The largest theatre at The Wave for keynotes and plenary sessions Lecture Theatre 1 is the largest published space in The Wave, with capacity for up to 400…
Pairs well with Lecture Theatre 2, Lecture Theatre 3, Lecture Theatre 4, Debating Chamber, Atrium / Exhibition Space, Seminar Rooms 1-16
Lecture Theatre 2
A ground-floor theatre for conference sessions and parallel programming Lecture Theatre 2 is one of three large ground-floor lecture theatres at The Wave. Its individual capacity is not…
Pairs well with Lecture Theatre 1, Lecture Theatre 3, Atrium / Exhibition Space
Lecture Theatre 3
A ground-floor theatre for lectures, presentations and parallel sessions Lecture Theatre 3 is the third large theatre on the ground floor. It supports conference and teaching-style formats, but…
Pairs well with Lecture Theatre 1, Lecture Theatre 2, Lecture Theatre 4, Atrium / Exhibition Space, Seminar Rooms 1-16
Lecture Theatre 4
An upstairs theatre for parallel sessions and breakout plenaries Lecture Theatre 4 is one of the upstairs theatres at The Wave and has a published capacity of up…
Pairs well with Lecture Theatre 1, Lecture Theatre 2, Lecture Theatre 3, Debating Chamber, Atrium / Exhibition Space, Seminar Rooms 1-16
Debating Chamber
A distinctive chamber for debates, panels and discussion-led events The Debating Chamber is a distinctive space with published capacity of up to 120. It is especially suited to…
Pairs well with Lecture Theatre 4, Atrium / Exhibition Space, Seminar Rooms 1-16
Atrium / Exhibition Space
A bright central space for exhibitions, registration and networking The atrium is a bright, airy space with a large glazed area that brings natural light into the building.…
Pairs well with Lecture Theatre 1, Lecture Theatre 4, Debating Chamber, Seminar Rooms 1-16
Seminar Rooms 1-16
Flexible smaller rooms for seminars, breakouts and syndicate sessions The Wave includes multiple seminar rooms across Floor B, including rooms grouped around open learning areas. These spaces support…
Pairs well with Lecture Theatre 1, Debating Chamber, Atrium / Exhibition Space
Computer Rooms 1-2
IT-equipped spaces for digital training and software-based sessions The Wave includes two computer rooms suitable for technology-enabled sessions. These are useful for IT training, digital workshops, hackathons, software…
Pairs well with Lecture Theatre 1, Lecture Theatre 4, Seminar Rooms 1-16
Workrooms 1-3
Practical rooms for workshops and breakout activity The Wave includes three workrooms across Floors A and B. These rooms are suitable for workshops, breakout groups, team exercises and…
Pairs well with Lecture Theatre 1, Atrium / Exhibition Space, Seminar Rooms 1-16
Newsrooms and Journalism Suite
Specialist media spaces for journalism, communications and production-led events The Wave includes Newsrooms 1-5, a Creative Media Team Journalism Suite, media booths and related specialist spaces. These facilities…
Pairs well with Lecture Theatre 4, Debating Chamber, Seminar Rooms 1-16
Board Room C406
A formal meeting room for governance and senior discussions Board Room C406 is a formal boardroom on Floor C. It is suitable for governance meetings, leadership sessions, advisory…
Pairs well with Lecture Theatre 1, Debating Chamber, Atrium / Exhibition Space, Seminar Rooms 1-16
Breakout Rooms 1-10
Smaller rooms for syndicate groups and focused meetings The Wave includes a series of numbered breakout rooms on Floor C. These rooms are useful for syndicate work, small…
Pairs well with Lecture Theatre 1, Atrium / Exhibition Space, Seminar Rooms 1-16
Capacity matrix
| Space | Theatre | Theatre Chamber Seating | Action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lecture Theatre 1 | 400 | - | Ask |
| Lecture Theatre 4 | 120 | - | Ask |
| Debating Chamber | - | 120 | Ask |
Facilities and services
Facilities & Amenities
Getting there
The Wave is located on the University of Sheffield campus in central Sheffield. The full postal address should be confirmed with the venue before publication.
AddressSheffield, South Yorkshire
PostcodeS10 2AH
AreaSheffield, Yorkshire and the Humber
Nearest stationUniversity tram stop, around 10 minutes' walk
Good forChristmas parties, Conferences, Corporate events, Exhibitions, Meeting rooms, Parties
- Bus stops directly outside the building, around 1 minute away
- University tram stop around 10 minutes' walk away
- General parking available nearby at Northumberland Road Car Park, Dam House Car Park and Durham Road Car Park
- Accessible parking and EV charging available at The Wave, with cycle parking, showers and lockers on site
- Well placed for Sheffield city centre, the University of Sheffield campus and wider social programmes, including the Winter Garden, Kelham Island Museum, Cambridge Street Collective, Cutlers' Hall, Endcliffe Park and the Peak District
Frequently asked questions
Is The Wave good for conferences?
Yes. The Wave is well suited to conferences, academic events, research symposia, training days, exhibitions and multi-stream programmes. Its largest theatre holds up to 400 guests, with additional theatres, seminar rooms, breakout rooms and exhibition space available.
Which room is best for a keynote or plenary?
Lecture Theatre 1 is the largest published space and holds up to 400 theatre style. It is the best fit for keynote sessions, plenary presentations and larger conference audiences.
Can The Wave support exhibitions?
Yes. The atrium on Floor B is described as a bright, airy exhibition space with a large glazed area that floods the space with natural light. It is suitable for product showcases, poster displays, information booths, registration and networking.
Is The Wave suitable for media or journalism events?
Yes. The Wave has a distinctive media and journalism offer, including newsrooms, a Creative Media Team Journalism Suite, media booths and an ILab. These spaces make it especially relevant for journalism, media production, communications and digital events.
Is The Wave accessible?
The venue has accessible and EV parking, main and rear entrances, and a modern campus building layout. Detailed step-free access, lift access, accessible toilets and room-by-room accessibility should be confirmed directly with the venue.
How close is transport?
Bus stops are directly outside the building, around 1 minute away. The University tram stop is around 10 minutes' walk away, and nearby parking options include Northumberland Road, Dam House and Durham Road car parks.