university of manchester receives approval for mecanoo-designed engineering campus

university of manchester receives approval for mecanoo-designed engineering campus
all images courtesy of mecanoo

the university of manchester has received planning permission from local authorities to create a £350 million engineering campus, designed by dutch architecture practice mecanoo. announced last year, the manchester engineering campus development (MECD) is one of the largest, single construction projects ever undertaken by a higher education institution in the united kingdom. measuring a total length of 195 meters, the main building is large enough to easily accommodate manchester’s tallest structure, beetham tower, laid sideways. the development currently has a completion date scheduled for 2020.

the development currently has a completion date scheduled for 2020

the vast project is part of an ongoing masterplan for the university’s campus. intended as a local landmark, the flagship project brings together a multi-disciplinary engineering and scientific community, while consolidating the university’s existing student campus around oxford road. internally, dedicated ‘maker spaces’ at ground floor level provide workshops in which students and academics are able to share ideas. the scheme includes flexible labs, bespoke project areas, and interactive learning environments to support innovation, creativity and collaboration.

demolition on the site is currently underway

‘integrating architecture, interior and landscape, we have designed a campus that will deliver a first-class teaching and research environment which will assist the university of manchester’s ambition in becoming one of the top 25 research universities in the world,’ says francesco veenstra, partner at mecanoo and design team leader for MECD. ‘MECD will have a strong identity that reflects manchester’s past, present and future, as a city of pioneers, continued to be led by discovery. the design is driven by the core principles of visibility of activities, technology, permeability, urban continuity and craftsmanship.

the flagship scheme brings together a multi-disciplinary engineering and scientific community

‘as a gateway between the existing university of manchester campus and the city, MECD’s open character will attract people to the facilities and showcase the activities inside,’ continues veenstra. ‘a palette of simple and honest materials, like brick and steel, is combined with a strong articulation of form and a clear structural expression of the facades. the building can be envisioned as an engine: spawning a wide range of research and teaching activities and to take place with a high level of flexibility and adaptability for future change.’

the design includes flexible labs, bespoke project areas, and interactive learning environments

professor martin schröder, vice-president and dean of the faculty of engineering and physical sciences at the university, adds: ‘this exciting new campus development is a once in a lifetime project that builds upon manchester’s proud heritage of innovation and discovery across engineering and science that began with the establishment of the manchester mechanics’ institute in 1824. MECD brings manchester engineering into one building as a focus for interdisciplinary teaching and research. we will train the engineers of the future and discover and apply new knowledge to help industry and society to increase wealth and employment and to overcome global challenges of climate change, finite natural resources and changing world markets.’

the vast project forms part of an ongoing masterplan for the university’s campus

once complete, MECD will become home to the university’s four engineering schools and two research institutes from the faculty of engineering and physical sciences. it will include 70,590 square meters of modern teaching spaces and facilities that reflect the changing demands of students and staff for mobile and flexible working. cutting-edge technologies will enable students across all disciplines to engage with new modes of teaching. demolition on the site is currently underway and main construction works are scheduled to begin later this year. a targeted completion date has been set for 2020. see designboom’s previous coverage of the project here.

model indicating the scale of the development

the main building is large enough to accommodate the beetham tower laid sideways

program and orientation