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Work starts on Manchester Metropolitan University Institute of Sport building
Work has started on the new Manchester Metropolitan University Institute of Sport building designed by a team in our Manchester studio.
The state of the art cross-disciplinary institute will be located in a refurbished existing building on the university’s Manchester city centre campus and the new teaching and research facility will house the Department of Sport and Exercise Science, the keystone of the university’s Institute of Sport. This aims to be an international centre of excellence that will bring together world-leading researchers in musculoskeletal science from the university’s Faculty of Science and Engineering, sports business and community impact experts from the Faculty of Business and Law and a range of experts from the Faculty of Health, Psychology and Social Care.
The aspiration is to create an inspirational, user-centred teaching and research environment where students can be actively engaged throughout the day in different forms of study and learning. In addition to the specialist research and teaching labs, students will have access to a range of structured, semi-flexible and social learning spaces. Academic offices will be accommodated within a dynamic, multi-functional workplace with a range of collaboration areas and private workspaces to encourage interaction between academics, researchers and students.
Architect director Michael Cambden said: “Our strategy for the design has been to minimise demolition of the existing building and improve energy efficiency, thereby reducing the level of embodied carbon investment. The south and east façade will provide a dynamic three-storey glazed elevation connecting self-directed learning spaces to the wider All Saints Campus whilst the north and east side will be retained and over-clad in high-quality, dark-grey recyclable panels providing a striking but easy to maintain solution.”
Incorporated into the refurbishment are several low energy, low carbon technologies including the reuse of existing PV installation and variable air volume ventilation, as part of the building services design strategy to achieve a SKA Silver standard accreditation.
Pedestrian connectivity will be enhanced and an overall sense of openness and accessibility created with a high quality streetscape of hard and soft landscaping that connects the building to the surrounding public realm and university campus.
The building is part of the university’s ambitious 2017-2027 Estates Investment Programme which includes a new state of the art science and engineering building also designed by BDP. The plan is for the new building to be open to students and staff in January 2022.
