Delivered by a collaborative team of builders, architects and engineers, MECD 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 and it was project managed by Buro Four, with 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-storey 80,000sqm Engineering Building A; Engineering Building B and the James Chadwick Building (on Upper Brook Street); refurbished Grade II listed Oddfellows Hall; and the York Street Building. MECD is home to purpose-designed blended lecture theatres, teaching laboratories, student workshops and a range of spaces to support our 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 life cycle, including a BREEAM Excellent rating, a new active travel hub and green roof.

MECD is part of a world-class research and innovation hub and immediately adjacent to two flagship centres of excellence – the National Graphene Institute and the Henry Royce Institute, the UK’s national institute for advanced materials research and innovation. The University of Manchester is ranked as the world number one in the THE Impact Rankings and this investment will ensure that 91直播 continues to be at the forefront of delivering world-class research.

Director of Estates at The University of Manchester, Diana Hampson, said: “This is a hugely significant milestone for MECD and we are delighted that the initial construction phase is now complete. MECD will create facilities that will put the University at the forefront of engineering globally, and we are proud to provide such an exceptional space for our exceptional people. We’d also like to thank all the various partners and stakeholders in getting us this point, it really has been a hugely collaborative effort.”

Professor Martin Schröder, Vice-President and Dean of the Faculty of Science and Engineering said: “MECD affords an exciting new environment for the delivery of interdisciplinary research, teaching and impact across engineering. We are eager to progress towards populating MECD with our staff and students, creating an inspiring, highly flexible first-class teaching and research environment that transforms the way in which the University educates engineers for the future.”

"As you may already be aware, MECD – our new home for engineering and materials science at The University of Manchester – was due to open to students from September 2021.

"Unfortunately, owing to consequences from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the opening has been delayed by 12 months to September 2022. We've made this decision with you in mind to ensure we maintain a high quality teaching and learning experience, with minimal disruption to the completion of your studies.

"While construction work has continued during the COVID-19 lockdown, there has been an understandable impact on productivity, which has led to a forecasted 12-week delay to the main construction work, due to social distancing measures implemented on the MECD site.

"This delay unfortunately has a significant impact on the timing of later stages of work, including the fit out of teaching spaces and laboratories. Simply pushing back this work by 12 weeks would result in staff and students having to undertake a huge amount of move-related activity at busy points in the academic cycle, such as through exam, marking and writing up periods. In addition, the continuing uncertainty regarding the full extent of COVID-19 could potentially further impact the ongoing construction programme through this year. Therefore, moving the full opening of MECD to September 2022 will avoid unnecessary disruption to the delivery of the academic year and will ensure the best possible experience for all of our students.

"We are now actively re-planning the move of our teaching, learning, research and associated support activities to MECD by September 2022. As part of this, we will look for opportunities to see which areas of MECD could potentially be opened up to students sooner. This could mean some areas of the development, such as study spaces, could be made available to small numbers of students at a time prior to the full launch, where this would be beneficial and safe to do so.

"Alongside the phased reopening of campus for the 2020/21 academic year, we will also be looking at what enhancements can be made to North Campus to ensure that we maintain excellent teaching support facilities and an enhanced learning experience for you during the extended use of our buildings.

"Please rest assured our vision for MECD remains the same. We aim to provide an environment that creates a sense of pride in the heritage and achievements of the University, while inspiring you, future generations of engineers and scientists, to continue to innovate and pioneer discovery. Find out more about MECD on the .

"Finally, I hope you and your loved ones are safe and well and that you enjoy the summer break. I look forward to seeing you virtually, or on the campus, in the new academic year."

Regius Professor of Materials and Royce Chief Scientist greeted Professor Gladden and introduced her to key members of the , as well as the brand-new facilities in the near-completed Royce Building. 

Upon its completion the £105 million, nine-story building at the heart of the University's campus will be home to world-leading materials scientists, with over £45 million worth of equipment and collaborative space for industrial and academic engagement.

Professor Gladden was then escorted around the MECD site by FSE Vice-Dean for Research . During the visit Professor Gladden had the opportunity to visit the new High Voltage Laboratory space in the York Street Building, and saw the development of the cleanroom space in the highly-technical research basements of the main MEC Hall building. 

Opening in September 2021, MECD will be the single largest home for engineering in any UK university and will provide world-class research facilities, leading the way in terms of innovation in technology and working practices, and making it an important place for the future of EPSRC research. 

Here Professor Gladden was introduced to the MECD concepts of flexible space and shared facilities across departments and research areas, which will support research projects of multiple scales and duration and encourage collaboration between researchers and departments, and with industry.

During her plenary lecture in the MIB Building Professor Gladden spoke to over 100 of the University's staff about EPSRC's Delivery Plan and presented other current developments at EPSRC, such as the changes in the impact requirements and efforts to reduce bureaucracy of peer review. Professor Gladden, along with her EPSRC colleague Deputy Director Kathryn Magnay, took an open question session on topics ranging from impact to climate emergency to public engagement. 

Later in the day the EPSRC visitors had the opportunity to hold discussions with a range of invited senior business leads on industry engagement, and met with Vice-President for Research Professor Colette Fagan and other senior University staff to discuss current developments at the University, such as ID 91直播 and the Pankhurst Institute.

Rounding off the day Professor Gladden attended a showcase of the work of our early career researchers, including virtual reality DNA structures, robots for extreme environments and 2D nanomaterials.

North Campus, and the buildings within it, are central to this journey.

Though countless students, staff and members of the public have walked these halls, how many have stopped to consider why the buildings are named what they are? Or who they're named after?

A new blog post delves into the names behind two of the most famous buildings on North Campus: Renold Building and Barnes Wallis Building. It also uncovers fascinating stories around the buildings themselves - did you know, for example, that many a rock star has performed on these grounds, or that drinking dens were once prevalent here?

Find out more on the Faculty of Science and Engineering's blog .

A similar student competition resulted in the art you now see in the Alan Gilbert Learning Commons. It has given this building a unique vibrancy, adding to the welcoming atmosphere for our students and staff. When MECD becomes the new home for the Schools of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Science (CEAS), Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE), Materials, and Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering, it will provide a particularly big canvas.

Win a great prize

You will receive a £50 gift voucher if your entry is selected. Your entry will also appear in a printed catalogue of the artwork for MECD.

MECD will also host a diverse range of learning and social spaces that will be used by students from across the University. These spaces include innovative lecture theatres for blended learning, more than 1,000 individual and group study places, and the University's first engineering makerspace. High-density WiFi is provided throughout the buildings, the lecture theatres include power at the desk, and all the small study rooms are equipped for screen casting and session capture.

There is real opportunity to use art to provide inspiration for everybody studying and working in MECD, and also to celebrate the University's rich heritage of pioneering innovation in engineering and science.

Make your mark

In the first of several competitions, you are invited to create a piece of art to appear in MECD. Given the departments for which MECD will become home, links to engineering and science would be welcome, but you may also wish to consider art that connects you to the University. This might be related to the subject you are studying or to the city of Manchester.

What sort of art are we looking for?

Illustrations, graphics, scribbles, patterns, doodles, formulae, poems, photographs, computer generated art - in fact, don't be limited by what we can imagine!

What medium can I use?

We are happy to receive both paper and electronic submissions. Paper submissions must be A4 (portrait or landscape) size. When making electronic submissions please consider that we may wish to scale your image, to fill a large wall expanse for example, and so select image file formats with this in mind.

How many times can I enter?

Multiple entries will be accepted.

How do I submit my entry?

Each entry, whether on paper or in electronic format, must be accompanied by a completed competition form. The competition form provides us with your contact details and also your permission to use the artwork if it is selected.

By post

If you are submitting your artwork on paper then this can accompany the completed competition form.

Please send through completed competition forms / artwork to:

-Image Competition

-Room LG020

-Communications and Marketing

-John Owens Building

-The University of Manchester

-Oxford Road

-91直播 M13 9PL

If you send this via an external postal system (like a Royal Mail post box) you will need to affix a stamp to the envelope, however, if you send this through the University’s internal postal system, which will be in your School office, this is free. You may need to put this in a cardboard envelope to protect the artwork.

By email

If you are submitting your artwork electronically then the file should be emailed to imagecompetition@manchester.ac.uk.

Please ensure that the filename of your artwork includes your full name (and for students, preferably your ID number). You should also indicate the filename on the competition form.

If you are submitting more than one entry, then each will need its own completed competition form.

The University will retain all progress drawings and full copyright for the finished image. By submitting your artwork you are granting The University of Manchester permission to digitise, manipulate and reproduce your image.

To receive a competition entry form and for full terms and conditions, please email Joe Beeso-Cope.

Deadline for submission of proposals: 5pm on Friday, 3 May 2019

For further information about MECD visit:

The 91直播 Engineering Campus Development (MECD) – one of the largest capital projects ever undertaken by a UK higher education institution – has celebrated a key milestone in its construction.

A special event today marked the ‘topping out’ of the landmark development, a world-class facility that will benefit staff, students and visitors. MECD will house the University’s engineering disciplines, innovative teaching spaces and research institutes such as and the BP International Centre for Advanced Materials ().

The topping out ceremony was led by Professor Nancy Rothwell, President and Vice-Chancellor of The University of Manchester, and Leo Quinn, the Group CEO of Balfour Beatty. As guests watched, the University’s Director of Estates and Facilities Diana Hampson, the Vice-President/Dean of Professor Martin Schröder and Balfour Beatty’s Chief Executive Dean Banks joined Nancy and Leo to sign a steel girder which marks the highest point of the new facility.

The £400 million project forms an essential part of The University of Manchester’s ten-year . It will support the University’s strategic goals by providing an outstanding learning environment and student experience, supporting world class research and further enabling the university’s social responsibility agenda.

Located near Oxford Road, MECD will consolidate the majority of the University’s estate onto one main campus, creating a more compact and coherent infrastructure that reduces the institution’s carbon footprint and costs. The move will also free up considerable land holdings in the north of the campus, enabling the University to play a significant role in the future economic success of the city by developing the site into a world-class innovation district over the next 20 years.

Nancy Rothwell, President and Vice-Chancellor of The University of Manchester, said: “For well over a century The University of Manchester has celebrated many achievements in science and engineering, and across our other disciplines too. The University’s impact on and contribution to society is constantly evolving and this can be vividly seen through our buildings.

“MECD will create a world-leading teaching, learning and research facility to develop the engineers, scientists and innovators of tomorrow.”

Diana Hampson, Director of Estates and Facilities at The University of Manchester, added: “The 91直播 Engineering Campus Development will create state-of-the-art facilities that will put the University at the forefront of engineering globally, helping attract even more world-class talent to the institution. We are proud to provide such an exceptional space for our exceptional people.”

Key partners in the development include , concept architects , detail architects , project managers , project engineers and cost managers .

Leo Quinn, Balfour Beatty Group Chief Executive, said: “We are proud to be working with the University of Manchester to deliver this innovative and world-class facility. I’m certain it will add to the UK’s reputation for engineering excellence - and encourage and inspire the next generations of expert engineers who will study here and help to shape our future.”

Upon completion, the development will host a wide range of flexible hi-specification laboratories and lecture spaces to welcome up to 7,000 students and 1,300 staff. MECD will also incorporate blended learning facilities, workshops and a ‘maker space’ where students will see their engineering creations come to life. Students will have the opportunity to work on a diverse range of projects ranging from artificial intelligence and robotics to sustainable energy solutions and space craft. Upon completion, the facility will benefit from ‘green’ construction techniques resulting in smart energy consumption and advanced water recycling and waste systems.

At peak construction, the project will employ a workforce of 1,000, including multiple apprenticeships and graduate placements. The project will also create new job opportunities for local people through the University’s , which provides local residents with exposure to career opportunities in the construction sector. The project team will maximise the use of off-site manufacturing and the latest technology to optimise construction efficiency and deliver a smart facility of the highest standard.

For more information, visit .

Contract represents one of the largest capital developments ever undertaken by a UK higher education institution.

The University of Manchester has today announced that the £287 million contract to construct the 91直播 Engineering Campus Development (MECD) has been formally awarded to Balfour Beatty, the international infrastructure group.

The four-year project forms an essential part of The University of Manchester’s ten-year to create a world-class estate benefitting staff, students and visitors.

This will support the University’s strategic goals of creating world-class research, providing an outstanding learning environment and student experience and social responsibility. will provide a state-of-the-art facility, housing the University’s schools, innovative teaching spaces and research institutes such as and the BP- International Centre for Advanced Materials ().

It will consolidate the majority of the University’s estate onto one main campus, creating a more compact and coherent infrastructure that reduces the institution’s carbon footprint and costs. MECD will also free up considerable land holdings in the north of the campus, contributing to the future economic success of the city with redevelopment opportunities in a prime city centre location.

Upon completion, the facility will benefit from ‘green’ construction techniques resulting in smart energy consumption and advanced water recycling and waste systems. The development will host a wide range of flexible hi-specification laboratories and lecture spaces to welcome up to 7,000 students and 1,300 staff. MECD will also incorporate blended learning facilities, workshops and a ‘maker space’ where students will see their engineering creations come to life.

At peak construction, the project will employ a workforce of 1,000, including multiple apprenticeships and graduate placements. The project will also create new job opportunities for unemployed local people through the University’s Construction Academy, which provides local residents with exposure to career opportunities in the construction sector. The project team will maximise the use of off-site manufacture and the latest in BIM technology to optimise construction efficiency and deliver a smart facility of the highest standard.

Dean Banks, Managing Director, UK Construction Services, said: “We are delighted to have been appointed to construct the MECD, one of the largest single developments ever undertaken by a higher education institution in the UK.

“We have extensive expertise in the higher education sector having delivered schemes such as the Holyrood postgraduate village at the University of Edinburgh, The Diamond building for the Engineering Faculty for the University of Sheffield, and the Foundry Courtyard Student Accommodation Complex in Glasgow. Our longstanding expertise enables us to provide The University of Manchester, its staff and students with an iconic campus, in addition to delivering multiple benefits to local communities including job generation and apprenticeship opportunities.”

Diana Hampson, Director of at The University of Manchester, said: “The 91直播 Engineering Campus Development will be a world-leading centre for learning and research. This development is central to the University’s ten-year Campus Masterplan which is creating an exceptional environment for our exceptional people. We are providing state-of-the-art facilities that will rival those of our international competitors and help attract world-class academic talent to the institution."

Balfour Beatty was appointed to the University’s Construction Partnering Framework in May 2015 and has been working under a Pre-Construction Services Agreement (PCSA) since November 2015, enabling design development and early engagement with key supply chain partners.

The University of Manchester has announced that it is to invest £350 million to create a new engineering campus.

The 91直播 Engineering Campus Development () will be one of the largest, single construction projects ever undertaken by a higher education institution in the United Kingdom and will transform the way in which the University educates future engineers in response to the needs of the fast-changing global economy.

The build – due to open in 2020 – is part of to create a world-leading teaching, learning and research campus to develop the engineers and innovators of tomorrow.  The new site will act as a gateway between the existing University of Manchester site and the city and will be located opposite on Booth Street East.

Mecanoo, the architects behind HOME – a new centre for international contemporary art, theatre and film in 91直播 – have been appointed to the project and tasked to build a campus which will open its doors to the public and reinforce 91直播’s status as a city of science. The new campus will be a destination where world-changing engineering and applied science is on display and visible to all.

The campus will help demonstrate how UK engineering is one of the most creative industries in the world – a key feature on the ground floor of the main hall will be a dedicated ‘maker space’ which will provide dynamic workshops for students and academics to share ideas and innovate.

Professor Martin Schröder, Vice-President and Dean of at the University, said: “This outstanding new campus development will build upon our proud heritage of innovation and discovery across engineering and science that began with the establishment of the 91直播 Mechanics’ Institute in 1824.

“MECD will inspire engineers to continue our pioneering spirit and to apply their knowledge and help modern industry overcome global challenges, such as climate change, finite natural resources and changing world markets.”

Once complete, the 91直播 Engineering Campus Development will become home to the University’s four engineering schools and two research institutes from the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences.  It will include extensive, modern teaching spaces that reflect the changing demands of students and staff for mobile and flexible learning. Cutting-edge technologies will enable students across all disciplines to engage with new modes of teaching and become part of the global classroom.

The MECD project is being delivered through the Construction Partnering Framework. Balfour Beatty is one of the framework partners appointed in June and the University has begun an engagement process with Balfour Beatty as its construction partner on the scheme. Demolition of the former Grosvenor Halls of Residence has already begun and will conclude during the first half of 2016.

The University of Manchester is inviting local residents, businesses and stakeholders the opportunity to attend an exhibition of plans for the new engineering campus. The drop-in session will be held on Thursday, 10 September, at the James Chadwick Building, 4^th floor, EBL Room 6 from 3-7pm.

Ket statistics:

• Costs more than £350 million
• The floor space will be more than 78,000m² (or 11 football pitches)
• 1,300 academics, researchers and support staff will move to the new campus
• 6,750 students will be based at the new site