Materials move to a new campus home
24 Aug 2015
The Materials Science Centre, part of the School of Materials, has been vacated over the summer period so that the site can be prepared for the new Manchester Engineering Campus Development (MECD) project
The Materials Science Centre is due for demolition later this year; while adjacent the former Grosvenor Halls of Residence, between Booth Street East and Grosvenor Street, are in the process of being demolished.
We have relocated 29 academic staff, 45 PSS staff and over 200 PDRA and PhD students. Over 450 pieces of equipment, have been relocated to different sites on the North campus which has received significant investment. Facilities in Morton Laboratory building and H Floor in the Mill have been substantially upgraded and refurbished for laboratory use by research groups.
The Maths and Social Science Building is being re-opened after eleven years for the School of Materials, with plans to feature a competition-winning student design inside.
Floors B – G of the 15-storey tower block have been refurbished to accommodate staff offices, teaching space, research offices and research laboratories. The ground floor features a modern reception area with an adjacent café operated by the University’s FoodOnCampus service. Former lecture theatres at the rear of the building have been converted into one of the largest, state-of-the-art Electron Microscopy suites in the UK.
Nicky Snook, Head of School Administration for the School of Materials, said: “We are really excited about moving in. The refurbishment has been transformational and now provides some of our best teaching areas. The success of this decant is thanks largely to a great deal of consultation and careful planning between the School and our colleagues in the Directorate of Estates and Facilities. These fantastic facilities will be used until the completion of the MECD project in 2020 when the School of Materials is able to relocate completely onto a single, purpose built site.”
Further information