Construction Complete on UK’s Largest Engineering Campus at University of Manchester

Construction of the largest home for engineering in any UK university has been completed. Delivered by a collaborative team of builders, architects and engineers, Manchester Engineering Campus Development represents the single-largest construction project ever completed by a higher education institution in the UK.

Building design was undertaken by Mecanoo with support from Penoyre & Prasad, with detailed design during the technical and construction stages by BDP, and multidisciplinary engineering services provided by Arup. The main contractor was Balfour Beatty, with Buro Four serving as project manager and Buro Happold as the environmental sustainability advisor.

MECD will provide world-class sustainable research facilities, alongside flexible and innovative teaching and learning spaces that will enable students to shape their own learning environment. It will house a community of 8,000 students, researchers, academics and professional services staff. This will be the largest concentration of interdisciplinary engineering expertise in any UK university.

The development incorporates a number of existing and new buildings: the eight-story, 80,000-square-meter Engineering Building A, Engineering Building B and the James Chadwick Building, refurbished Grade II listed Oddfellows Hall and the York Street Building. MECD is home to purpose-designed blended lecture theaters, teaching laboratories, student workshops and a range of spaces to support the university’s ambitious outreach and social engagement initiatives.

The university is committed to environmental sustainability, with MECD being the first project to appoint a dedicated environmental sustainability advisor to develop and drive the university’s comprehensive sustainability targets throughout the project’s lifecycle, including a BREEAM Excellent rating, a new active travel hub and green roof.

Photo image: www.masterplan.manchester.ac.uk.