UMIST

Client: Manchester Metropolitan University

Location: UMIST North and South Campus, Manchester

Budget: £5 million

Status: Completed

Our practice was originally appointed by the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST) (which has since become part of the University of manchester) since 1996 on a variety of projects.  These have ranged from refurbishment projects to feasibility studies for new builds, project definition reports and bids for funding to  construction projects. This has involved submissions and presentations to Board of Governors, JIF and HEFCE funding.

We have completed projects at Renold Building, Materials Science Centre and Allinson Laboratories in the Main Building, to name but a few.

The Renold Building lies within the centre of the UMIST campus and like many other of the UMIST portfolio of buildings was built in the late 1950’s and suffers from many of the attendant problems associated with construction of high & medium rise buildings of this era.  The building is tired and suffering from many defects and problems but, is in almost constant use by UMIST and external parties.  Refurbishment as a single project could not be afforded and would constitute too much work in a limited time-scale and so the project was broken up into phases.

We undertook the cost-effective refurbishment of two floors of the building over the summer vacation, with contractors working out of hours, in evenings and at weekends.  The refurbished & reorganised rooms provide good quality teaching spaces to modern standards, encouraging a positive learning culture.

• Categories: Education