The University of Manchester in the UK has announced a £350m investment for the development of a new engineering campus.
Dutch firm Mecanoo has been appointed as the architect for the new campus development which is a part of the University’s campus master plan that aims it to be recognised as a teaching, learning and research campus for ‘the engineers and innovators of tomorrow’.
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The new campus has been scheduled for a 2020 opening and will be built opposite to the new National Graphene Institute on Booth Street East.
It will serve as a gateway between the existing university site and the city.
Termed as the Manchester Engineering Campus Development (MECD), the project is claimed to be one of the largest, single construction projects ever undertaken by a higher education institution in the UK.
The university aims to deliver the MECD project is through its construction partnering framework, which was formed in June, to deliver up to £1bn of construction work over the next eight years.
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By GlobalDataBalfour Beatty is one of the partners in the framework deal along with Laing O’Rourke and Sir Robert McAlpine.
Engagement process with Balfour Beatty as the construction partner for the MECD project has already been initiated, the University of Manchester informed.
The campus development will lead to the demolition of the former Grosvenor Halls of Residence, works for which have already started and are expected to be completed during the first half of 2016.
The campus will be home to the university’s four engineering schools and two research institutes from the faculty of engineering and physical sciences with extensive, modern teaching spaces.
It will be designed to ‘reflect the changing demands of students and staff for mobile and flexible learning’ and will be equipped with advanced technologies for enhanced educational experience.
Image: Aerial view of planned Manchester Engineering Campus Development. Photo: courtesy of the University of Manchester.
