Yep! deserves it's own thread!

Numerous redevelopments happening all over the campus!

Another pile of shite bites the dust! Grind that concrete bitch!:)

Royal Northen College of Music get facelift!

http://www.rncm.ac.uk/images/build.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v397/jrb041067/kporetsy.jpg

Ps! All places at Manchester University were taken within 36 hours!

I got my place for a course there starting this September - in the Landscape and Planning department of the School of the Environment and Development. :)

The School are planning on building a new building near to their present site, on Bridgeford Street/Oliver Street.

http://www.sed.manchester.ac.uk

I might join you next year Manc Planner!

You need grades BBC minumum to be considered for Town Planning for 2006, same this year was it?

That is unless I join the dark side and become a journalist!

BBC for the Masters in Town and Country Planning - the course I'd recommend of course ;) :)

Those minimum grades for degrees is a nonsence. They do that just to keep the pressure on A level students to get good marks. I wouldn't worry to much about them. I needed BBB on my course, got CCC (plus C in Gen studies) and pissed into my course, which I got the third best Masters degree of my class. Its a load of scaremongering.

Ah but when was this? 4 years ago? If so, I think you'll find things have changed - not only do more people get A's and B's (I almost said A-levels were getting easier ;) ), but also there is a greater demand for places. Especially for the 2006 intake (thanks to the top up fees... which I fortunately have now avoided by a year).

Found this image of the new Student and Nursing centre which, I have to say looks vastly superior to any of the previous images. Love that curved section fronting Oxford Road there. This building will really dramatically change the character of the whole campus. There also appears to be a block approaching 13 stories to the rear. This is probably the student resi section which as I remember constitutes a portion of the space within this building.

http://www.bdonline.co.uk/Pictures/web/h/u/n/NDREW_PUTLER_005.jpg

Lets hope this is the version that comes to fruition.

Let's not, because it is clueless. It looks like it's been designed by a retarded five year old who kicked his toybox over. Cringe.

OK now, let's be constructive. If the middle portion was more than a box we could be getting somewhere. Look at Central Library and the Town Hall Extension where the latter curves to mirror the former. And if the residential portion at the rear was a cylinder too we could be getting somewhere. 2 out of 10 try again.

rant removed

Hardly constructive criticism. I agree with Farsight to be fair. The cylinder seems ok, but could end up lookin like that pub on Chester Rd; near Stretford Precinct.
Saying that, I generally feel cold towards most new mid-rise projects though. Looking at the Midland, Central library, Free trade hall (obvious examples I know), I feel far too many new designs are inferior to yesteryear achitecture. Ponder and discuss.

The rant although harsh was amusing and fair. Farsight has his own peculiar sense of what he finds attractive (and what he doesn't) but is poor at expressing it. That might not be so bad were it not for the fact he is too often uninformed, aggressive and disrespectful with it. As such I tend to ignore it - unless Im feeling mischevious.

Ho ho.

Well then, let me rephrase my opinion of the Student and Nursing centre in terms you will understand:

I think it's poor.

http://www.bdonline.co.uk/Pictures/web/h/u/n/NDREW_PUTLER_005.jpg

Lets hope this is the version that comes to fruition.

Not a fan of this, why have a circular building, and then have one behind it that in no way relates to it? How about giving the building behind an ident to match the circular block as if they could 'slot' together?

OK then. As some would say, it's poor, and it doesn't relate well.

Don't see anything wrong with circular buildings! Manchester could do with a few more! Got to agree with you on the building behind! In no way does it relate to the circular building in front! Lets hpoe the planning department highlight this problem?

Not a fan of this, why have a circular building, and then have one behind it that in no way relates to it? How about giving the building behind an ident to match the circular block as if they could 'slot' together?

If you remember the inital renders show the building as a set of identical rectangular blocks however I don't think this approach really served to convey the three or four very separate and distinct uses contained within it.....

More than any other project under the initial phase of the Unity plan, this scheme is conceived at the heart of the University core. With elements of social, departmental and public facilities a rich mixture of uses will create the image of an integrated urban university. The accommodation comprises a 1000-seat lecture theatre, general teaching space, catering facilities, student accommodation, School of Nursing, Institute of Health Science and Faculty offices.

Also it would have perhaps made the the environment feel too sterile and samey with the very blocky Computer Science building next door. The cylindrical front block and the taller resi part to the rear really help to soften and add interest to the whole area in addition to making the building something of a landmark on the campus.

Notice also how they have indeed made sure the cylinder relates to the rectangular portion by adding a sort of squaring-the-circle cover on the opposite side of the building to the viewpoint.

Aw cringe. It doesn't soften and add interest. It isn't a landmark. And it doesn't relate. Jeez.

"Son, you even godam think about goddam f*cking entering that goddam University. Boy, your ass would be mine till the birds wing strokes away the 200 foot diamond tower that stands between me, you and my goddam sanity."
"But why pops?" sobbing like a cherry "why kant I go to this Uni? Why notttt?"
"Son - I shoulda spanked your face off when you were three years of age...look at the goddam motherf*cking damage your brains have caused..."

I'd like perhaps to attend snare classes in that building.
It is rather pleasant, akin to the TH, THExtension and Central Library but on smaller scales.

It's a 1000-seat lecture theatre, Northbeach. It won't have any windows. I'm not sure it'll be pleasant at all. In fact I think people will say They knocked down the Maths Tower for that? What were they thinking? It will cost a fortune and look awful, and the people who fucked up will fuck off. I shake my head. Tragic.

Taken from the MEN!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v397/jrb041067/mkiorgdp.jpg

Some great small pics of the old M&S and other buildings!

Eat that concrete bridge you bitch!! :bash:

http://www.connellbrothers.co.uk/

we will one day wish we had never done this *sigh*

Two pics of the Bio centre, looking very nice

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y12/ANTEATPETE/4sept010.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y12/ANTEATPETE/4sept009.jpg

Very nice stuff! :)

Isn't it just.
Piccadilly Station would've been better suited with such a quality design imo.

If you think it looks nice, remember that some building you don't like could perhaps be economically reclad in the same style. Personally I don't think it's quality design. It's a lowrise box with some glass and steel stuck on, and I thinks it looks very iffy from the South side. There's also a flythrough that illustrates internal flaws which I wrote up but I think they got zapped. Basically it's cramped inside.

http://www.mib.ac.uk/Building/

IMHO: what an absolute tragedy that Manchester University are demolishing an iconic architectural gem like the Maths Tower for boring boxes tarted up with tinsel.

Architectural gem in your opinion ,good riddence to an eyesore in mine , but we won't go down that road again :)

Farsight , the MIB building looks great ,i would have loved a 40 storey there ,but ey this low rise box will do :)

I think the subject of highrise v lowrise for educational purposes has been discussed before. For purely logistical reasons I believe lowrise would be more conducive to a place of learning.

A university has lecture theatres, labs, libraries. And it has offices and recreational. In essence it's a city in miniature. But whilst the city at large is building highrise, the University of Manchester are intent on demolishing theirs. See if you can work out why.

http://www.manchester.ac.uk/

Browse the website, see their "21st Century" vision. See old stone. Browse the vision document:

http://www.manchester.ac.uk/aboutus/thefile,3563,en.pdf

See the heritage pictures. Read the heritage talk:

"The University’s rich heritage, symbolised by its iconic buildings, will provide the foundation for the new institution. (Left to right: The Whitworth Building, Sackville Street Building)."

No room for highrise here.

Pray that such stupidity doesn't catch on, or your 21st Century will start to look like the 19th.

Farsight, it's probably got something to do with trying to look like Oxford, and trying to get more research funding to compete effectively with those three big unis down south

All we need are a few dreaming spires.........mock, of course.

The Americans will just love it......punting on the Medlock in Manchestercestershire

Farsight, it's probably got something to do with trying to look like Oxford, and trying to get more research funding to compete effectively with those three big unis down south

All we need are a few dreaming spires.........mock, of course.

The Americans will just love it......punting on the Medlock in Manchestercestershire

Oh Jonge, please don't get him started. He came out with the immortal insult 'the Ivy-league dreaming spires brigade' last time we went down this route. Anyhow it's all good fun.

I think the subject of highrise v lowrise for educational purposes has been discussed before.
And we all know who is always involved ;)

Jongeman, just ignore Farsight's comments on MIB and the Maths tower.
In his opinion, anything that is tall is good. And the demolition of a crappy highrise is well... an act of terror :eek:

:D

I wouldn't get so worked up about the demolition of the Maths Tower. While its a bad thing for statistics about high rise in Manchester to have one fewer tower, it was a good thing to replace it with a modern building for the university.

Jongeman: I'm sure you're right and it's to do with the University of Manchester trying for an Oxford dreaming spires look.

Manchester Planner: they plan to demolish all highrises. That's their 21st century vision. A conservative heritage vision and they've said as much.

Accura: and of course it's fine if M&SS, Wright Robinson, Chandos, Chem Enge, Mobberley, and Sunley, Jarvis, Portland, North Tower, Arndale, Lowry House, Ramada are all demolished is it? That's fine then, they're all crappy highrises, no call for reclad because our favourite buildings are the Town Hall and the Central Library, duh.

Stop overeacting. You've said this dozens of times now.

The uni is demolishing these buildings because they are obselete and unsuitable, not because they are highrise. Note that they are now keeping the Owens Park Tower.

Huh? The UMIST main building is obsolete and unsuitable. Not the highrises they're going to demolish. Owens Park Tower is just as obsolete and unsuitable as some which will go, but it's staying because it's not on campus to spoil the dreaming spires vision.

Sigh. The point is that the 21st century vision is a deceit that will cost a fortune, and in my view will ruin a great University. The more important point is that if you accept that University highrises are obsolete and unsuitable you'll accept that other in the city at large are unsuitable too. Florence here we come. But fine.

Don't pay any attention. And don't notice when some of our friends who wax lyrical about heritage/lowrise don't enthuse about buildings like Beetham and find other proposals hard to love.

Owens Park Tower the 'Dreaming Spires Vision'? :rofl:
Dont make me laugh!

You do realise that the students will have the very latest technology for learning, don't you Farsight? You harp on as if they're also reverting back to bloody blackboards, chalk and the birch.

Manchester Planner: they plan to demolish all highrises.

Not only is this wrong because they are keeping the Owens Park Tower, but the old UMIST Main and Owens Victoria Uni are both actually over 35m and are therefore highrise.

Farsight. The uni wants to get rid of horrible, stained, outdated, shitty buildings with next to no architectural worth. They are replacing these with high tech buildings that will improve the uni no end. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this. Who cares what buildings are on their website? All that matters is that quality is replacing shite.

Not only is this wrong because they are keeping the Owens Park Tower, but the old UMIST Main and Owens Victoria Uni are both actually over 35m and are therefore highrise.

Farsight. The uni wants to get rid of horrible, stained, outdated, shitty buildings with next to no architectural worth. They are replacing these with high tech buildings that will improve the uni no end. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this. Who cares what buildings are on their website? All that matters is that quality is replacing shite. Oh boy, now I've heard it all. Umist Main and Owens Victoria are highrise. LOL!

Take a look at all the other stained, outdated, shitty buildings with next to no architectural worth. Most of what you can see have had detractors on this website calling for demolition. And new highrise have the doubters who are happy when they don't happen. But that's OK, lowrise sheds with tinsel and old stone make up for all that. Especially since there's some nice highrises called Town Hall and Palace Hotel. What a wonderful 21st century vision. For a while, until that "In the top 25 Universities in the World" target quietly turns into top 250 when nobody's looking. And people will wake up and realise that the big bucks heritage dullsville was a world class fuckup instead of a reach for the skies.

http://www.maths.man.ac.uk/DeptWeb/Pictures/man1.jpg

What a wonderful 21st century vision. For a while, until that "In the top 25 Universities in the World" target quietly turns into top 250 when nobody's looking

Hey mate, the built environment means nothing in terms of Man Uni's status. It's about teaching, funding and research isn't it?!! And that's basically it.

That's a good pic though. Nice Manc sunny day

I'd date that pic as about 1987 (when I was an unconvincing goth) I remember when the CIS service tower was that white and I'm pretty sure I remember Portland with the SWF letters on it.

The built environment always matters Jongie. It's important to create a beautiful place where people want to be. Most of us would agree that a beautiful place has spaces and greenery, with a rich mixture of old stone and mirrorglass that balances heritage and wow-factor 21st Century modernity. The devil is, as always, in the detail. As an aside, I think the Manchester Metropolitan University have done a nice job on their John Dalton building:

http://www.skmconsulting.com/Markets/buildings/John_Dalton_Building_%E2%80%93_Phase_Two_Europe.htm

http://www.manchesteronline.co.uk/ewm/001ewm/049_mancunianway/12.html

Does anybody know if MMU is what the University of Manchester mean by a non-authentic university?

The built environment does matter, of course (especially to someone who contributes to a forum like this), but not significantly in terms of Manchester University trying to position itself in the world's top 25. That was my point.

I don't believe for a minute that Manchester will find itself slipping down the ranks to the top 250 just on the basis of not pleasing everyone in its building development decisions. No chance.

I can't find a reference to a non-authentic university. If they do mean MMU, that's a bit arrogant.

I don't think that pic is that old Jonge. The Portland tower's throwing me off a bit but the Umist school of business building thingy majig by the swimming pool and Royal College Of Music on Oxford Road (yellow crane nearest the camera). That went up sometime around 99 I think. Plus the carpark for the swimming pool on Upper Brook Street (grey/pink thing to the right) is almost complete.

Just a sec dgnr8, let's have another look....

oh aye, that's the carpark on Upper Brook St. Maybe the sun's doing wonders for Portland....)

You harp on as if they're also reverting back to bloody blackboards, chalk and the birch.

There's nothing wrong with a good birching. I was birched regularly and often voluntarily and it never did me a scrap of harm :)

The built environment is incredibly important - which is why the university is spending a lot of money improving it both architecturally and in terms of their facilities.

Lots of demolition work going on at the front of the Royal Northern College of Music at the moment to build their new extension. So another piece of ugly brutality is consigned to history, thank to goodness.

Great pics of MIB, highriser. Lets hope all Project Unity buildings achieve the same standards.

Bye bye Maths tower...

http://www.eb.cx/img/ssc/manchester/2005-09-03/uni-2.jpg

http://www.eb.cx/img/ssc/manchester/2005-09-03/uni-3.jpg

http://www.eb.cx/img/ssc/manchester/2005-09-03/uni-4.jpg

The MID yesterday, it's fantastic!
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b292/caw1234/P9160063copy.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b292/caw1234/P9160061copy.jpg

Hmmn. That veil of glass looks faddy, and there's a lot there to get corroded or dirty or covered in pigeonshit. I'm not sure it will stand the test of time.

Hummnpf. Prey tell of these ghost pidgeons that can fly through solid glass?

Hummnpf. Prey tell of these ghost pidgeons that can fly through solid glass?

LOL...was thinking something along the lines of this too! :)

It looks like they can get in at the sides. That's until somebody puts up some ugly wire mesh. Then you can strike out pigeonshit and replace with pigeonbrains.

http://www.bdonline.co.uk/Pictures/web/p/p/i/AMPPSUniversitySque.jpg

Appointing the finger
23 September 2005


Sheppard Robson has won planning permission for a £25 million new building for The University of Manchester. The new building, to be known as AMPPS, will bring together the university’s astronomy, mathematics, physics and photon science departments.

The 17,000sq m building is made up of three finger shapes clad in zinc to create a dramatic facade on Upper Brook Street.

The mathematics and astronomy fingers are linked by a glass walkway suspended above a four-storey atrium, while an over-sailing roof links the three fingers and provides space for solar panels.

Seems odd that they are recreating suspended walkways again - a folly that I thought went out with the 60s. Quite a radical building. Looks like its been influenced by the Civil Justice Centre somewhat and the uni deserve credit for not commisioning something polite and conservative. The public realm looks great and I love the idea of the public walkway connecting Upper Brook St with Oxford Road that runs through this building. Interesting to see how it turns out.

Please can somebody post an image of the new Humanities building? I cant find one anywhere and dont remember seeing one.

Maybe this is it?

http://www.metronews.co.uk/ContentResources/C_52_Article_706_BodyText_TextSection_1_Image.jpg

I thought the AMPSS building was going to cost £50m?

http://www.metronews.co.uk/news/article/0/706_350m_to_transform_university.html

I went to the Manchester Uni open day today. The new buildings are very impressive. I also saw some teenager taking pics on Oxford road. It wasnt you was it caw?

Nope.

Mixed news on university dropouts

FIRST year students at Manchester University are only half as likely as undergraduates elsewhere to quit their degree course, according to new figures.

The university has a drop-out rate of only 4 per cent – while the national average is 8 per cent.

However, at Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU), the drop-out rate is 11 per cent.

The Higher Education Statistics Agency also says almost a quarter of first year students enrolling at MMU in 2003 will not complete their degree courses if their projected drop-out figures for students starting their degrees in 2003 are correct.

The projected figures for students starting in 2003/2004 say 8 per cent of Manchester University students and 20 per cent at MMU will fail to graduate in 2006 because of lack of money, exam failure or personal reasons – compared with a 14 per cent national average.

Students starting courses next year will have to pay top-up fees of £3,000, prompting fears that working class students will struggle to afford it.

University drop-out rates include the total percentage of people who enrol on a degree course and quit without transferring to another one.

An MMU spokesman said: “Drop-out rates have increased slightly because of the personal circumstances of our students. The figures show that MMU is in the top 30 universities for proportion of students who come from lower socio-economic backgrounds.

“Ten per cent (of those said to have dropped out) re-enrol within two years, so it would be wrong to infer that people are not satisfied with the university.

In a survey conducted by MORI, 38 per cent of students strongly agreed that MMU has greatly enhanced their career prospects, compared with 28 per cent for all universities.”

A spokesman for Manchester University said: “We are never comfortable with drop out figures because we know they can always be improved, but the numbers for us are pleasing.

“We like to think we actively listen to the students, get them involved and make them feel part of the university, and this number reflects that.

“We know that if people drop out it’s generally going to happen early on, and we have procedures in place to help prevent drop-outs like counselling services and course advisors who can help students.”

MMU takes more working class students than its big city rival, according to data released by the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

The university is a popular destination for working class undergraduates – 94 per cent of its students come from state schools while only 79 per cent of Manchester University students are from them.

Manchester University enrols more than 30,000 students each year. The university defended its record on working class recruitment by saying almost four in five students come from state schools – in line with government targets.

Students who get past the first year almost always leave higher education with a degree even if it a “pass” degree, the lowest mark available.

Go University of Manchester! :D

http://www.aidan.co.uk/md/ManUniMathsDmlBus5X20.jpg

An Aidan showing progress on the site of the AMPPS on Upper Brook St with the Maths tower's slow demise in the background.



http://www.aidan.co.uk/md/ManUniMathsBlgDml5X20.jpg
Looking really quite forlorn here. I feel sorry for this building in a strange kind of way. That said the new Student and Nursing building will improve the campus no end.

http://www.bdonline.co.uk/Pictures/web/h/u/n/NDREW_PUTLER_005.jpg

They're doing loads of building work around the Planning Department's building. On the Cambridge Street side we have a new multi-storey car park going up and on the Oxford Road side we have the new humanities building about to start. Soon we'll be encapsulated in a maze of University buildings! It wasn't long ago that my department's building was alone in the middle of a park...

That sounds a little sad, Manchester Planner. I remember reading about some kind of student protest about an environment building to be built on open green space. Do you know if this is the same thing? And in your opinion will there still be enough open space on campus?

I feel cagey about buildings covering open space because once its built on you just never get it back. In my experience it happens too much with lower rise buildings, which tend to fill their entire plot and have a very urbanising effect somewhat contrary to the vision.

I was really sad to see the Maths building last week, I know it had its own thread but - as with Birmingham library - it's hard to believe that these acts of vandalism will actually happen until you see them. A tragedy for modern architecture in Britain. So much of modern university estates is bland and generic, it's almost criminal to allow them to destroy the few architectural gems they are entrusted with.

I'll be interested to see if the demolition of the Maths Tower is seen as vandalism in years to come. How will it be judged by posterity?

Personally I envisage people in the future will look at a picture of the Maths Tower, then look at what replaced it. And then they'll say What were they thinking? I would however in all sincerity like to be wrong on this. I really would. I want better buildings, but I'm older and more cynical than some.

Sigh. I've seen it all before I'm afraid. People knock down some heap-of-shit building and replace it with something that's the best thing since sliced bread because now we know better.

Then give it a few years and different people are calling the replacement a heap of shit and yep, now we know better.

That sounds a little sad, Manchester Planner. I remember reading about some kind of student protest about an environment building to be built on open green space. Do you know if this is the same thing? And in your opinion will there still be enough open space on campus?

I feel cagey about buildings covering open space because once its built on you just never get it back. In my experience it happens too much with lower rise buildings, which tend to fill their entire plot and have a very urbanising effect somewhat contrary to the vision.

The campus is getting rather crowded and it is a shame the open space is going. On the other hand the University is growing and this can only be good for the city as a whole!

The point about the open space on the campus is that a lot of it at present is poor quality and under utilised. They are more gaps between buildings than meaningful spaces with an intended use.

One of the great benefits of Project Unity is that the whole campus will be properly masterplanned for the first time. Spaces will be rationalised but properly landscaped and the positioning and design of new buildings should mean there is greater useable public space and better pedestrian routes such as the one being constructed through from Oxford Rd to Upper Brook St.

As for the Maths building well it seems to gain friends because of its undoubted distinctive design. There are so many parallels to the Jarvis. Distinctive, unusual, characterful building but aparently floored. Neither building relating very well at all to adjacent buildings, streets and spaces. They seem to have an alien presence within their environment and unfortunately for Maths, also seems to present insurmountable problems to adapt.

Planner - was the little picture Farsight posted on the previous page the Humanities block? Also do we hold any hopes for a decent looking car park?

SleepyOne: Poor quality has got to be contemptuous when used as an excuse to do away with open space. What it means is I can deliberately neglect my garden, then because it's "poor quality", I can build all over it.

I sincerely hope the campus ends up beautiful, but the "poor quality" argument for doing away with open space sounds like line a line to feed the mugs, a sop. It does not reassure.

Yet more misrepresentation Farsight.

Read the whole post. "Poor quality" was clarified thus:

They are more gaps between buildings than meaningful spaces with an intended use.

This is the natural outcome with piecemeal development over a long period - you get gaps rather than landscaped public spaces indended as such.

It surely wasn't too much to ask you to refer my second paragraph back to my first which would have added further clarification to my assertion that the present spaces are of "poor quality":

One of the great benefits of Project Unity is that the whole campus will be properly masterplanned for the first time. Spaces will be rationalised but properly landscaped and the positioning and design of new buildings should mean there is greater useable public space and better pedestrian routes such as the one being constructed through from Oxford Rd to Upper Brook St.

No SleepyOne. "Poor quality" used to describe open spaces that have been deliberately neglected so they can be built over, that's misrepresentation. You said the same about Piccadilly Gardens, remember? No? Did you also forget about the environment building and the student protest because it was going on greensward, or did I misrepresent that too?

Gotta go.

No SleepyOne. "Poor quality" used to describe open spaces that have been deliberately neglected so they can be built over, that's misrepresentation.
- What makes you think the spaces have been "deliberately" neglected. That's one controversial accusation. Where is your evidence to back it up?

- You say "poor quality" is a misrepresentation? Misrepresentation of what? Misrepresentation of how they might or might not have deteriorated over time? Well Im sorry but I never posted on this issue as I have no knowledge of it.

I posted an opinion on how the spaces are "poor quality" owing to the piece meal development of the campus rendering the spaces as "gaps" rather than meaningful, intended useable spaces. Clear now?

You said the same about Piccadilly Gardens, remember? No?
Piccadilly Gardens did come about by a similar process, namely through the demolition of the old Infirmiary on the site after they were bombed in the war rather than a planned space through the design and spacing of buildings. So yes, there are parallels to be drawn. The inherent character and ultimately, the success of a space is dependent to a large degree on the surrounding buildings which define it. So yes in a sense it is similar scenario.

Did you also forget about the environment building and the student protest because it was going on greensward, or did I misrepresent that too?
I didnt mention these issues. Why bring them up? Why would you be misrepresenting something I didnt bring up? My point about planned, useable spaces as opposed to gaps is relevant to this protest though.

The point about the open space on the campus is that a lot of it at present is poor quality and under utilised. They are more gaps between buildings than meaningful spaces with an intended use.

One of the great benefits of Project Unity is that the whole campus will be properly masterplanned for the first time. Spaces will be rationalised but properly landscaped and the positioning and design of new buildings should mean there is greater useable public space and better pedestrian routes such as the one being constructed through from Oxford Rd to Upper Brook St.

As for the Maths building well it seems to gain friends because of its undoubted distinctive design. There are so many parallels to the Jarvis. Distinctive, unusual, characterful building but aparently floored. Neither building relating very well at all to adjacent buildings, streets and spaces. They seem to have an alien presence within their environment and unfortunately for Maths, also seems to present insurmountable problems to adapt.

Planner - was the little picture Farsight posted on the previous page the Humanities block? Also do we hold any hopes for a decent looking car park?

The car park is nearly finished - you can visit it if you want.. ;) It's on Higher Cambridge Street.

As for the new humanities block being built near my department, I'm not sure what it will look like. Sorry.

"Poor Quality" parkland aside, I'd like to a realistic render of this lecture theatre and Student and Nursing centre. What materials and colours will be used? Will the lecture theatre present a blank face to Oxford Road, or will there be windows? IMHO the cylindrical lecture theatre doesn't tie in with the angular buildings behind, which maybe look a bit sixties vanilla. I like the way the Central Library and Town Hall Extension meet with a matching curve, and wonder why this doesn't.

http://www.bdonline.co.uk/Pictures/web/h/u/n/NDREW_PUTLER_005.jpg

It's because Manchester University hate you.

"Poor Quality" parkland aside, I'd like to a realistic render of this lecture theatre and Student and Nursing centre. What materials and colours will be used? Will the lecture theatre present a blank face to Oxford Road, or will there be windows? IMHO the cylindrical lecture theatre doesn't tie in with the angular buildings behind, which maybe look a bit sixties vanilla. I like the way the Central Library and Town Hall Extension meet with a matching curve, and wonder why this doesn't.

http://www.bdonline.co.uk/Pictures/web/h/u/n/NDREW_PUTLER_005.jpg

Farsight!

Put a side the buildings! This lecture theatre will hold 1000 people! Probably one of the biggest conference/lecture theatres in th UK! This will be used for important international and national conferences! The University will make some serious money out of it! Manchester will also reap financial rewards aswell! (hotels, etc, etc) Look at the size of it!

jrb: I have to confess I find it a bit, um, tough putting aside the buildings!

I didn't think they'd be using this lecture theatre for money-making conferences and stuff. Any links or pointers you can think of telling me more will be gratefully received.

jrb - buildings are important thats why we're all here. Who cares if its the biggest such lecture theater in the UK (not sure where you've got that one by the way). What matters is that it fulfills its purpose and remains a great looking building, that enhances the expereience on the campus for many years to come.

Personally I think this is a really promising render of what could be a great building. I love the variety of shapes and masses but they all seem to be tied together extremely well. In the case of the cylindrical part fronting Oxford Rd there is what appears to be a sort of squaring-the-circle cover on the opposite side of the building to the viewpoint. The lowlevel atrium also appears to tie in the flat facade witht he round one.

This building, despite its height but by virtue of its design will have great presence on Oxford Rd IMO.

jrb - buildings are important thats why we're all here. Who cares if its the biggest such lecture theater in the UK (not sure where you've got that one by the way). What matters is that it fulfills its purpose and remains a great looking building, that enhances the expereience on the campus for many years to come.

Personally I think this is a really promising render of what could be a great building. I love the variety of shapes and masses but they all seem to be tied together extremely well. In the case of the cylindrical part fronting Oxford Rd there is what appears to be a sort of squaring-the-circle cover on the opposite side of the building to the viewpoint. The lowlevel atrium also appears to tie in the flat facade witht he round one.

This building, despite its height but by virtue of its design will have great presence on Oxford Rd IMO.

Oh Sleepy you do love a sword fight!

I do actually like the building and agree with what your saying! However, the fact that it will be one of the biggest lecture theaters in the UK is very important, not only for the Univesity, but for Manchester aswell! No point in having a nice building that turns out to be a white elephant!

Oh Sleepy you do love a sword fight!
Sorry! Just can't help myself sometimes.

I do actually like the building and agree with what your saying! However, the fact that it will be one of the biggest lecture theaters in the UK is very important, not only for the Univesity, but for Manchester aswell! No point in having a nice building that turns out to be a white elephant!
Well if that is true, then that is a great bonus too I guess.

Sorry! Just can't help myself sometimes.


Well if that is true, then that is a great bonus too I guess.

Can't remember where I read it? I'm 99.9% sure it will be able to hold up to 1000 people!

It does look huge on the rendering/model!

I'm looking for curves to make the variety of shapes and masses relate better. SleepyOne: can you tell me more about that squaring-the-circle cover thing?

In a way I feel sorry for the maths tower, I had an open day 'presentation' in there and apparantly it was basically the last time it would be used for such events...On the other hand a lot of the new additions to the university are looking really promising. Is there a better render of that curved building around because that looks like it could be interesting?

It's a 1000-seat lecture theatre, inquisitor. I don't think there's a render showing colour or finish for the moment. I'm a little concerned it'll look blank, and won't turn out so good despite the interesting shape.

I know what you mean, I expect it won't have any windows for a start (unless they have an outer skin to let people walk into etc). However I still think that with a little imagination it could look pretty snazzy.

Snazzy? Like a snare drum!

There's maybe something here. Look at Education then 9th in the list. It's maybe out of date. Can't stop, I gotta do some work.

http://www.mcaslan.co.uk/frame.php?seite=intro&proj_id=undefined&id=&flashversion=5

It only shows a render of the square building and gives you a bit of information on timings and values.

There's an artists impression on the last page of this newsletter.

http://www.campus.manchester.ac.uk/medialibrary/unilife/volume3-issue1.pdf

IMHO the lecture theatre looks good. I look at it on its own, and I think simple, elegant, modern. Yep. Like it.

But there's something about the setting that bothers me. It's only a picture I know, but the lecture theatre comes over as a big featureless blot on the landscape, smacked down in the middle of an urban campus too close to the road, and it doesn't harmonise with surrounding buildings or the new ones behind.

In my Farsight perfect world I see grass, and a curve behind the lecture theatre along the lines of the Central Library & Town Hall Extension, and a curve akin to the MIB building stretching towards the residential block, which is cylindrical... and tall, baby, tall!

Yeah whatever. But I look forward to further renders with interest.

I'm looking for curves to make the variety of shapes and masses relate better. SleepyOne: can you tell me more about that squaring-the-circle cover thing?

Look carefully at the render - its not easy to pick out but there is what appear to be a large expanse of glass that squares off the circular form of the building to better relate it to the rectangular form of the adjacent block.

The atrium also serves to tie the two together.

The shape of this block will really create a great sense of arrival and help to reconcile the line of Oxford Road with the line of this major new pedestrian route they are building which runs at right angles from Oxford Road, all the way though to Upper Brook St. It also appears to be very nicely proportioned and will be an attractive building in its own right and in its setting.

The square blocky image on the McAslan website was posted a long time ago and is what I am assuming (and hoping) to be the prior to the CABE review. This new(?) version in much superior IMO.

http://www.bdonline.co.uk/Pictures/web/h/u/n/NDREW_PUTLER_005.jpg

The render does look nice, however you can't but feel sad when you read about the maths tower. How it represented modernity and a new chapter in the universities history, and now it is being taken apart piece by piece.

I certainly feel sad about the Maths Tower, inquisitor. We've had some pretty bad rows about it along with campus highrise and heritage.

SleepyOne, thanks for that info. I see what you mean, but IMHO it seems insufficient and that this is a candidate for relates poorly. Is there absolutely nothing you have any reservations about?

Farsight - no. It looks superb from what I can make out from the renders.


Interesting development here. Would appear to feed in nicely to the Knowledge Capital initiative too.

University of Manchester announces strategic deal with IBM
01/11/2005

The University of Manchester is to form a strategic partnership with IBM, forging cooperative links across research, teaching and recruitment.
An official Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by Larry Hirst, General Manager for IBM UK and Professor John Perkins, Vice-President & Dean of the University of Manchester's Faculty of Engineering & Physical Sciences, will formally establish the partnership on November 2.

The signing of the MoU will also mark the creation of the IBM-Manchester Partners Programme, an initiative unique to the University of Manchester, which will identify key staff to partner with IBM towards future opportunities for collaborative research. The programme will also identify areas of overlapping strategic importance for course delivery and future outreach activities.

The MoU will seek to exploit activities which are of mutual benefit to both organisations in respect of research, education, the development of new scientific applications and the recruitment of students to both the University and IBM. It will build on relationships between the University and IBM which have existed for more than a decade in subjects spanning engineering, the life sciences and humanities.

Professor John Perkins, said: 'This is a unique partnership which will bring together the most skilled and gifted individuals from both organisations, forging a unique link which spans both commerce and higher education. By signing this MoU we are creating a bridge of opportunity which will benefit the research, teaching and recruitment activities of both the University of Manchester and IBM.'

Larry Hirst, said: 'IBM is building strategic partnerships with some of the world's top Universities so that we may benefit from mutual cooperation and collaboration. We are delighted to count Manchester among them.'

In addition to the IBM Partners Programme, The MoU will provide a platform for a host of new initiatives which will include:

• People with Disabilities Project; to address issues facing disabled students on campus through the provision of IBM Assistive Technologies and staff training.

• IBM Mentoring Programme; providing IBM mentors to University staff and to current and potential students.

• IBM Faculty Award; supporting excellent relevant research in Universities. The first IBM Faculty Award will be presented at the event on November 2, in the form of a cheque for £14,000 to Professor Linda Macaulay, of the School of Informatics, for a project entitled 'Exploring the role of patterns for e-business in supporting the emerging services science discipline'.

Snazzy? Like a snare drum!

There's maybe something here. Look at Education then 9th in the list. It's maybe out of date. Can't stop, I gotta do some work.

http://www.mcaslan.co.uk/frame.php?seite=intro&proj_id=undefined&id=&flashversion=5
We've already got a snare drum building in Manny. Some pub in Stretford cunningly named The Drum .
This one is more like a tom-tom.....

The Drum had a bullet hole in the downstairs window for ages.

Theyve fixed it now though, god theres some frim pubs in Stretford.

Behold what appears to be the first weak link in terms of Project Unity new-build.

http://tinypic.com/ffba55.jpg

Today's MEN revealed Fairhursts to be the architects of this building...

"We're at work on the New Humanities Building for Manchester University, a huge project involving a 150,000 sq ft building and costing £20 million and its innovative to use natural ventilation on such a large building. Its part of an effort to be ecologically sound"

.. this from an article exploring environmental considerations on some of the city's new buildings.

This will be built (I think) set back from Oxford Road and in front of the new multistorey carpark on Higher Cambridge St. The precinct centre is to the right as you view the site from Oxford Road. Looks to be drearily conventional. A shame considering the high quality of the other proposals thus far.

Quite an interesting article here. Feeding nicely into the spate of transatlantic themed business initiatives and announcements emanating from all quarters this week.


Manchester awarded £1.5m to establish transatlantic composites partnership
07/11/2005
Lord Sainsbury, Science and Innovation Minister, has announced that The University of Manchester will be one of only four UK universities to lead transatlantic research partnerships under a new DTI pilot scheme.
The scheme, which is aimed at establishing world-class UK/US collaborations, will see The University of Manchester receive £1.5m over the next two years to develop new composite technologies and materials for future aircraft design in partnership The University of Washington (Seattle).

The partnership will formally establish the Manchester Seattle Composite Partnership (MSCP). The MSCP will work with the Northwest Aerospace Alliance, Airbus, Boeing and a wide range of businesses in the UK and US.

Lord Sainsbury, said: "Building bridges between world class universities and high-tech companies in our two countries is an excellent way to generate new opportunities and drive forward innovative ideas.

"These new science and innovation partnerships will help bring together the best of UK and US universities and companies and help make the UK the best place for science and innovation, increasing industrial competitiveness and knowledge transfer."

Professor Phil Withers, of the University of Manchester, said: 'The development of civil aerospace composites is the key to future 'greener' aircraft, but the lack of proven test methodologies and durability assessment procedures is limiting composite take up in new products. What this partnership gives us is the opportunity to unlock the potential composite materials have to offer the aerospace industry.'

Manchester's collaboration with Seattle will feed directly into the continuing development and assembly of new composite designs. The project will also focus on the development of new methodologies to test safety levels of composite materials. It will also seek to formally evaluate the constraints of current composite design and certification processes.

The project, which was initiated through the Worldwide Universities Network (WUN) of which Manchester and Seattle are members, builds on the composites programme initiated by the Northern Aerospace Technology Exploitation Centre (NATEC) and the Northwest Development Agency (NWDA). A significant part of the project fund will be dedicated to delivering trained graduates in the composite area in the US and the UK.

Behold what appears to be the first weak link in terms of Project Unity new-build.

http://tinypic.com/ffba55.jpg

Today's MEN revealed Fairhursts to be the architects of this building...

"We're at work on the New Humanities Building for Manchester University, a huge project involving a 150,000 sq ft building and costing £20 million and its innovative to use natural ventilation on such a large building. Its part of an effort to be ecologically sound"

.. this from an article exploring environmental considerations on some of the city's new buildings.

This will be built (I think) set back from Oxford Road and in front of the new multistorey carpark on Higher Cambridge St. The precinct centre is to the right as you view the site from Oxford Road. Looks to be drearily conventional. A shame considering the high quality of the other proposals thus far.

This is the one being built outside my planning department. We used to be in the midst of parkland and surface car parking, but now we have the new multi-storey car park on the Higher Cambridge Street side and this thing on the Oxford Road side. Don't know what's happening to my department's building though - haven't heard anything.

It is somewhat humdrum. At least there's going to be some greenery left.

Some... but not a lot. The planning department's park has gone... :(

Behold what appears to be the first weak link in terms of Project Unity new-build.

http://tinypic.com/ffba55.jpg

Today's MEN revealed Fairhursts to be the architects of this building...

"We're at work on the New Humanities Building for Manchester University, a huge project involving a 150,000 sq ft building and costing £20 million and its innovative to use natural ventilation on such a large building. Its part of an effort to be ecologically sound"

.. this from an article exploring environmental considerations on some of the city's new buildings.

This will be built (I think) set back from Oxford Road and in front of the new multistorey carpark on Higher Cambridge St. The precinct centre is to the right as you view the site from Oxford Road. Looks to be drearily conventional. A shame considering the high quality of the other proposals thus far.

I have worked with fairhursts on a couple of office buildings and they are very good. I wouldn't be too worried.

I was looking at their website and see they designed the Quay Point towers.

http://www.fairhursts.com

A bit East Didsbury.

Thats not even a render, its only an artists impression *cough*

it may turn out nice, give it a chance

From todays planning apps!(see below, second to bottom)

Should interest Sleepy, Farsight and all!

Conformation of 1000 seater lecture theatre :shocked: and just for Farsight, a 15 storey tower to replace the maths tower! :)

Looks like we've got a very interesting development on our hands!

I'll get down to the planning office as soon as possible!

Also some interesting applications for Anocoats!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v397/jrb041067/trevsam.jpg

jrb, you are an angel.

Good stuff. :)

From todays planning apps!(see below, second to bottom)

Should interest Sleepy, Farsight and all!

Conformation of 1000 seater lecture theatre and just for Farsight, a 15 storey tower to replace the maths tower!

What you'll find is an image that almost certainly looks like this.

http://www.bdonline.co.uk/Pictures/web/h/u/n/NDREW_PUTLER_005.jpg

i.e. a 1000 seat lecture theatre, 3 x 7 storey blocks and a 15 storey student resi block.

Any more images you can take including details of cladding and general dimensions will be very interesting though, thanks jrb.

The view of Eastgate-Albany cluster will be great from the top of that residential block!

What you'll find is an image that almost certainly looks like this.

http://www.bdonline.co.uk/Pictures/web/h/u/n/NDREW_PUTLER_005.jpg

i.e. a 1000 seat lecture theatre, 3 x 7 storey blocks and a 15 storey student resi block.

Any more images you can take including details of cladding and general dimensions will be very interesting though, thanks jrb.


Probably! But the renderings, images in the planning application will have a lot more detail! The buildings might even be slightly different?

Whats your take on the 1000 seat lecture theatre then? Hopefully it should bring the University and Manchester some very big global conventions!

Todays planning apps! Super size!

http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/2525/cotcowhat4gb.jpg

873kb? How about just typing the relevant ones out! :eek:

873kb? How about just typing the relevant ones out! :eek:

Theres no pleaseing some people! :wink2:

Now if they could just stick the 15-storey building on top of one of them 7-storey blocks I'd be pleased. Oh and give it some curves.

Seriously though, the description doesn't quite match the image above.

Two shots down Bridgeford Street showing the new multi-storey car park, the planning department, the site of the new humanities building and the stump of the former Maths Tower!!

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/7251/pb1700467wn.th.jpg

Full Image (http://img144.imageshack.us/my.php?image=pb1700467wn.jpg)

http://img270.imageshack.us/img270/528/pb1700479gv.th.jpg

Full Image (http://img270.imageshack.us/my.php?image=pb1700479gv.jpg)

:)

Some of you won't be impressed, some of you will?

Got to go to Tescos first!

I'll upload the renderings/images later on! :)

My breath is bated. Thanks jrb.

*sigh*

jrb as left us all in suspender's again :)

Sorry about the delay!

The images/renderings are on the way!

Any chance you could post them at the top of the next page as my modem is struggling to cope with that ridiculously large scan of last week's planning applications!!

.... next post. Nothing to see here!

Any chance you could post them at the top of the next page as my modem is struggling to cope with that ridiculously large scan of last week's planning applications!!

Your just like Caw Sleepy!

Theres no pleaseing you! :)

Can we have the renders now please jrb?

A bit dissapointed to be honest! The four blocks and tower look boring! I quite like the circular 1000 seat lecture theatre! Its different!

Its still better then the Maths tower! :runaway:

http://img463.imageshack.us/img463/2913/uni1482im.jpg

http://img270.imageshack.us/img270/2627/uni1546oq.jpg

http://img270.imageshack.us/img270/3002/uni1524ic.jpg

http://img270.imageshack.us/img270/83/uni1534zm.jpg

http://img49.imageshack.us/img49/4428/uni1506me.jpg

The aerial view makes the development look better!

http://img270.imageshack.us/img270/7651/uni1512bp.jpg

http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/9681/uni1443ob.jpg

http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/6501/uni1477ql.jpg

http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/2618/uni1456qs.jpg

Thanks.

I dont know what you were expecting jrb - thats almost idential to the render I posted previously with two major differences.

http://www.bdonline.co.uk/Pictures/web/h/u/n/NDREW_PUTLER_005.jpg

1. The student resi block has been turned around so its major side is aligned with the new pedestrian through-route. I dont have a problem with this as the slightly less interesting (ahem) rhythm in terms of the shape and arrangement of the various blocks is offset by the reinforcement of this major new pedestrian route linking Oxford Road directly with Upper Brook Street.

2. The atrium connecting the circular block with the rectangular blocks is much larger and serves to reduce the distinction between the two; making them appear as one rather than two distinct blocks. Am less keen on this change.


Overall, stylistically the design is typical McAslan - neat, modern and highly restrained. Not keen on this yellowey colour though - is that for real? Did you manage to guage what the cladding was jrb?

In the last render the circular block looks almost to be touching the adjacent rectangular block. I hope this is a misleading render.

That yellow is bothering me now. Whatever it turns out to be I hope it isn't that vivid.

Thanks.

I dont know what you were expecting jrb - thats almost idential to the render I posted previously with two major differences.

http://www.bdonline.co.uk/Pictures/web/h/u/n/NDREW_PUTLER_005.jpg

1. The student resi block has been turned around so its major side is aligned with the new pedestrian through-route. I dont have a problem with this as the slightly less interesting (ahem) rhythm in terms of the shape and arrangement of the various blocks is offset by the reinforcement of this major new pedestrian route linking Oxford Road directly with Upper Brook Street.

2. The atrium connecting the circular block with the rectangular blocks is much larger and serves to reduce the distinction between the two; making them appear as one rather than two distinct blocks. Am less keen on this change.


Overall, stylistically the design is typical McAslan - neat, modern and highly restrained. Not keen on this yellowey colour though - is that for real? Did you manage to guage what the cladding was jrb?

Not keen on this yellowey colour though

Indeed it is Sleepy! I was refering to how the cladding looks! Glad you agree!

Overall, stylistically the design is typical McAslan - neat, modern and highly restrained. Not keen on this yellowey colour though - is that for real? Did you manage to guage what the cladding was jrb?

Nope! Did'nt have time to trawl through the plans!

Looks like a great development. :)

interesting (ahem) rhythm


but, but we agreed to never speak of such evil ;)

I think the 15 storey is still in the same orientation is it not?

but, but we agreed to never speak of such evil

I think the 15 storey is still in the same orientation is it not?

lol. Mmm yes, its probably my interpretation of the older render rather than how it actually was.

F**k me. Dont mind the blocks at all. Quite nice really. But what the hell is that round concrete blot!?
Depressing, no matter how big those giant letters are. 70's Moss-side/Hulme and ......just depressing.

Thanks jrb. OK now. I like yellow, so the colour isn't a problem. And I think it will go nicely with the stone.

I'm so pleased to see the highrise residential block on campus, I don't mind that it's a plain unimaginative slab.

But the four lower blocks don't quite match, and they suffer on the beauty stakes with the protuding service towers and the lack of a defined roof plus the ranks of square windows. After some of the sleek stuff we've been seeing, they result is so fifties.

And whoa! That lecture theatre is definitely a problem. It's grey, boring, faceless, featureless, too close to both the road and the building next door and totally does not (ahem) "relate". It is a definite blot on the landscape. Carbuncle Alert.

It looks like a very attractive development, i'm glad there's a highrise going up here too. Gives us back that view, kinda.

Im not too pleased with this at all.

Go on, let me say it:

They knocked down the Maths Tower for this? What were they thinking? jrb: Is there anything on cladding? Are we talking honey stone & stainless steel, or yellow paint & concrete?

Its a vast improvement on the Maths tower and will really lift the experience of the campus on the ground. The choice and quality of cladding will be key.

THE QUESTION IS..DOES TARTING UP A UNIVERSITY TURN OUT BETTER GRADUATES....200 ACADEMY SCHOOLS BEING BUILT AT THE MOMENT AT A COST OF £10bill..A MONEY PIT.... how much money is spent on the aesthetics of the open university!!!!!!!!!!

THE KID FROM THE LANES OF SALFORD......WHERE IS THAT YELLOW VAN!!!!!!!

WHEN I WAS AT UNIVERSITY.......(MANY YEARS AGO...HOW MANY YEARS........CANT REMEMBER...MUST BE GOING SENILE...IS THAT THE WORD!).....MY MOST IMPORTANT WORRY WAS TO GET MY DEGREE & GETTING A JOB...NOT LOOKING AT FOUR WALLS AND THINKING THATS PRETTY. A UNIVERSITY HAS A FUNCTION AND THAT IS TO TEACH AND INSPIRE STUDENTS TO ACHIEVE THIER GOALS. BY ALL MEANS DIG DEEP INTO THE POCKETS OF FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS..BUT NOT EDUCATIONAL ONES...KEEP THEM COST EFFECTIVE....I LOATHE ARCHITECTS....MUST BE AN ENGINEERING THING!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Uni's already have loads of money. They are loaded, the staff are more like sales people than tutors or teachers or what ever they are called.

Not only is this wrong because they are keeping the Owens Park Tower, but the old UMIST Main and Owens Victoria Uni are both actually over 35m and are therefore highrise.

Farsight. The uni wants to get rid of horrible, stained, outdated, shitty buildings with next to no architectural worth. They are replacing these with high tech buildings that will improve the uni no end. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this. Who cares what buildings are on their website? All that matters is that quality is replacing shite.
UMIST IS AN OLD RED BRICK UNIVERSITY(i.e straight science & engineering courses....not mickey mouse courses..i.e town & planning, media, "what the f_ck course can we make up next" ) ESTABLISHED IN 1824 BY ENGINEERS ....WHY REPLACE THE HEART(SHITE) OF THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION (bar TELFORD)....WELL YOU WILL NOT FIND A SKYSCRAPER NEAR NEAR MY HIGH TECH COLLEGE..!!!!!

ffs calm down doka..dan

Its a vast improvement on the Maths tower and will really lift the experience of the campus on the ground... Lift the experience? The Maths Tower lifted the experience!

Seriously though, we've got a potential Blot on the Landscape here Sleepy, try to keep an open mind about it. I'll try to. I thought it looked good in that Student Magazine a few weeks back, but now alarm bells are ringing.

It pains me to say it Doka Dan, but people in this country don't value Science like they used to. Or Mathematics.

Well Doka Dan, I have to take the architects side here. There wasn't much engineering to be done on the original umist buildings as it was all architecture and trade skills that put those up.

Sounds like the effect of the merger is already having an effect.

New city uni is top of the class
by deborah haile
THE University of Manchester has been named as the Higher Education Institution of the Year - just a year after it was launched.

The university - formed from the merger of Manchester University and UMIST - is the largest in Britain, attracting more than 36,000 students worldwide.

It offers more than 500 courses, has a £500m turnover and is said to have the highest quality and broadest spread of academic research outside the golden triangle of Oxford, Cambridge and London.



And last night Tony Blair confirmed the University of Manchester's growing reputation, when he announced it had beaten of competition to become the top university of the year.

Mr Blair said: "Manchester has impressed the whole higher education sector by its successful merger last year with UMIST.

"But what particularly impressed the judges was how, under the inspired leadership of its vice chancellor Alan Gilbert, Manchester's vision for the future and determination to reinvigorate itself to become one of the top research universities in the world has enthused both staff and students."

The award has been designed to "acknowledge the institution that has advanced its reputation most substantially over the past year".

Vision

Prof Gilbert said: "This award is a tribute to the efforts of all of Manchester's staff and students following what has been an exciting year.

"I am deeply grateful to all my colleagues for the skill, determination and vision they have shown in getting the university up and running following the merger of UMIST and Manchester University."

The new university has already launched an ambitious 10-year plan - called the Manchester 2015 Agenda - to become one of the top 25 universities in the world and to appoint five Nobel laureates to the staff.

yay!

As posted on the MRI thread.

We deserve teaching hospital, says prof

Roland Hancock

MANCHESTER should be given one of five new teaching hospitals ahead of London, according to one university head.

Alan Gilbert, President and Vice Chancellor of Manchester University, said the capital's big teaching hospitals get too much of the NHS's £600m research budget, and sometimes used the funds for patient care.

The government has proposed five academic medical centres across England, world-class teaching hospitals housing hundreds of research scientists bringing medical advances from the lab to the hospital ward.

The Manchester Evening News has backed a campaign to bring one of those centres to the city.

Powerhouse

The bidding process, which begins next year, has already provoked a war of words between the main contenders. The south east is expected to have the strongest bid as, historically, it has been a powerhouse of medical research.

Prof Gilbert said: "For political reasons there has been a call for funds to stay in the south east. Some medical research resources are being used there to fund some non-research (patient care) functions, so it's difficult for the NHS to refuse.

"We need academic centres across the country. It's hard not to see Manchester as the second city in the knowledge-based economy."

He stressed that despite London's big teaching hospitals taking the lion's share of the NHS research budget, Manchester could compete in terms of scale and quality of research.

He said: "Manchester has the confidence to call for a level playing field and an open competition. We can hold our own against the best in the country."



As far as this new student and nursing block goes, as much as I like it I do hope they sort the cladding out. Colourwise Yellow and gray is such an unattractive combination - see Soverign Point for evidence - and what ever it is needs to be of high quality.

As far as this new student and nursing block goes, as much as I like it I do hope they sort the cladding out. Colourwise Yellow and gray is such an unattractive combination - see Soverign Point for evidence - and what ever it is needs to be of high quality.

A handful of different test walls has recently appeared at the back of the kilburn building, built from very slightly different colours of yellow brick. Don't know if these are potential cladding samples or not though...

Also, a green tower crane is being constructed for the AMPPS building right now!

Incidentally, it's been over a month since I last chronicled the demolition of the Maths Tower - I somehow didn't manage to get down there earlier (mid-November) as I was hoping to to try and catch the remains of the podium part being dismantled, so I passed by on Wednesday and was amazed to see that the site is now almost levelled - the entire building is now no more than a pile of rubble as you can see fropm these pics. Whilst I was taking the close up shots of the yellow digger above the rubble a couple of brown rats (large ones too!) were clearly seen scurrying about the debris but sadly I didn't manage to catch any in the pictures as these bloody digital things are slow enough as it is when it comes to taking shots of moving subjects.

Many of these viewpoints are identical to the ones from which I took my previous five lots of pictures. By comparing them (on the Maths Tower thread) with these here you can get a stark insight as to how dramatic this immediate area now looks without the formerly dominating presence of the tower).

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c8/Basher65/PC070009s.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c8/Basher65/PC070010s.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c8/Basher65/PC070011s.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c8/Basher65/PC070012s.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c8/Basher65/PC070014s.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c8/Basher65/PC070015s.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c8/Basher65/PC070016s.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c8/Basher65/PC070017s.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c8/Basher65/PC070018s.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c8/Basher65/PC070020s.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c8/Basher65/PC070022s.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c8/Basher65/PC070024s.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c8/Basher65/PC070027s.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c8/Basher65/PC070028s.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c8/Basher65/PC070031s.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c8/Basher65/PC070033s.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c8/Basher65/PC070034s.jpg

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c8/Basher65/PC070035s.jpg

I pass the site of the Maths Tower nearly every day and I have to say that they really got on quickly with demolishing the bottom half.

Taken today.

First two show maths tower site.

http://img472.imageshack.us/img472/6094/picture2862by.jpg

http://img472.imageshack.us/img472/3898/picture2878ab.jpg

http://img472.imageshack.us/img472/2623/picture2887sn.jpg

http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/7496/picture2895du.jpg

I could probably face some sort of disciplinary action for this, but here is an extract from the latest University Core Brief:


Manchester named 'Higher Education Institution of the Year'

The University of Manchester secured the title of 'Higher Education Institution of the Year' at the Times Higher Awards 2005 held in November 2005. The prize, which was announced by Prime Minister Tony Blair, recognised our success in launching a distinctive new brand identity, the implementation of radical new governance and management structures and the creation of six new research institutes.


Nobel Prize winner to lead 'Brooks World Poverty Institute'

The University has appointed Nobel Laureate Joseph E Stiglitz to chair its new Brooks World Poverty Institute. The Institute will become a global centre of excellence in multidisciplinary research into poverty and poverty reduction, linked to the appointment of Professor Stiglitz, the first of the iconic appointments promised by the University. The Division of Development and Alumni Relations helped to secure a £1.3million gift from the Rory and Elizabeth Brooks Foundation to support the BWPI.


Manchester tops undergraduate popularity league

The University of Manchester is the UK's most popular university, according to figures released by the Universities Central Admissions Service (UCAS) this year. The University received more than 60,000 applications for its undergraduate courses, an increase of 2.3% on the previous year. The University also announced a package of scholarships worth up to £10000 per year to attract the best students to the University in the future.


Capital Progress

The merger triggered a capital programme to create new high-quality facilities worth almost £350million, and already the new-look campus is taking shape. The MIB building is nearing completion, whilst the 18-storey Maths Tower has now been levelled so that work can start on the £60m SCAN building. The new Multi-Storey Car Park is on target to open in the spring and the Functional Biology (FBI) project will be completed in January. Contractors are already on site for the AMPPS, Chemistry and Smith projects.

That last point was news to me, which just goes to show how much attention I pay. It's a shame, because I just don't have the time to keep up any more, let alone do any investigating meself! Good job you guys are here!

Apologies, seems my attention really is lacking - already been posted:

Also, a green tower crane is being constructed for the AMPPS building right now!

Taken today.

http://img472.imageshack.us/img472/2623/picture2887sn.jpg


Holy crap they put up that crane quickly!! :runaway: The one nearest to Oxford Road (for the new humanities building) wasn't there on Thursday..!

Well! That did'nt take long to approve, did it!

077568/FO/2005/C2 08/11/2005 Junction Of Wilton Street And Oxford Road City Erection of 1000 seat lecture theatre with catering facilities for university , erection of new scho... Application Approved

Lots of info, PDF.

http://www.publicaccess.manchester.gov.uk/publicaccess/dc/DcApplication/application_detailview.aspx?caseno=IPMYUDBC70000&searchtype=WEEKLY

http://img466.imageshack.us/img466/1262/uni8yq.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v397/jrb041067/TUIP.jpg

http://www.wyg.com/

It looks nice. But landmark? At four stories?

http://www.wyg.com/images/photo_images/5_projects/new_manchester.jpg

Business School is a world leader

http://www.manchesteronline.co.uk/ContentResources/588.$plit/C_17_Articles_202629_BodyWeb_Detail_0_Image.jpg

Manchester Business SchoolMANCHESTER Business School has leapt up the world rankings - bringing more prestige to the city.

In a list including Harvard and Yale, Manchester is rated as the 22nd best institution of its kind in the world, up from 44th place in 2005.

The school, whose alumni includes Tesco chief executive Sir Terry Leahy and Lord Sainsbury, is ranked third in the UK behind London and Oxford, and seventh in Europe.

It became the largest of its kind in the country following its 2004 merger with other business and management-related departments of Manchester University and UMIST, has 2,000 campus-based students and supports more than 3,500 others worldwide who are taking distance-learning programmes. It employs more than 200 teaching staff.

In the Financial Times league table, it is rated as being particularly strong for the international aspects of its courses, its doctoral programmes and the salary prospects of its graduates.

Business School director Prof John Arnold said: "We are proud of this result. We've been following a programme of continuous improvement for a number of years.."

Coun Richard Leese, leader of the city council, said: "It's a tremendous performance. The Business School is great for the city. It brings prestige by attracting business people here from all over the world."

The school, based on Booth Street West, has earned a global reputation over 41 years for producing future business leaders. Its graduates include James Ross, the former Littlewoods chairman, Paul Skinner, chairman of mining giant Rio Tinto, and Sir David Varney, the chairman of the merged Inland Revenue and Customs.

Manchester Business SchoolMANCHESTER Business School has leapt up the world rankings - bringing more prestige to the city.

In a list including Harvard and Yale, Manchester is rated as the 22nd best institution of its kind in the world, up from 44th place in 2005.

The school, whose alumni includes Tesco chief executive Sir Terry Leahy and Lord Sainsbury, is ranked third in the UK behind London and Oxford, and seventh in Europe.

It became the largest of its kind in the country following its 2004 merger with other business and management-related departments of Manchester University and UMIST, has 2,000 campus-based students and supports more than 3,500 others worldwide who are taking distance-learning programmes. It employs more than 200 teaching staff.

In the Financial Times league table, it is rated as being particularly strong for the international aspects of its courses, its doctoral programmes and the salary prospects of its graduates.

Business School director Prof John Arnold said: "We are proud of this result. We've been following a programme of continuous improvement for a number of years.."

Coun Richard Leese, leader of the city council, said: "It's a tremendous performance. The Business School is great for the city. It brings prestige by attracting business people here from all over the world."

The school, based on Booth Street West, has earned a global reputation over 41 years for producing future business leaders. Its graduates include James Ross, the former Littlewoods chairman, Paul Skinner, chairman of mining giant Rio Tinto, and Sir David Varney, the chairman of the merged Inland Revenue and Customs.

May have already been posted?

Anyway.

£13 Million Investment in Practical Teaching

Work began in May 2005 for a new 3-storey extension to the School of Chemistry to provide 2 new Teaching Laboratories, a Reading Room and a Student Administration Centre. The Teaching Laboratories will each accommodate 100 students offering state-of-the-art facilities fro teaching all aspects of synthesis and measurement. The new extension will be opened in time for the start of the 2006/7 academic year.

http://www.chemistry.manchester.ac.uk/news/images/newBuild1.jpg

http://www.chemistry.manchester.ac.uk/news/images/NewLab1.jpg

It's a decent building, but I think it will ever-so-slightly ruin a great veiw down brunswick street as it takes up green space and breaks up the uniformity of the existing buildings. I'm not displeased but it could have been a bit closer to the original styling of the chemistry building, such as was done for the extension of the school of medicine building a few years back.

I dont like it how all of our new buildings have that shade of pastel green. yuk

May have already been posted?

Nice render jerb, wher did you get it?

Nice render jerb, wher did you get it?

Typed 'Manchester buildings' in to Google search,(images) trawled through numerous pages, came across the render, clicked on it, and ended up on the Manchester University website.

I really like that turquoisey "Eau de Nile" colour. My favourite. I like the looks of this building.

But it's a shame about the stacks and cables on top. IMHO they cheapen it. And the angle between the extension and the building behind on the right looks wrong. Maybe it's just the picture? Put your hand across the top of the picture and the building is beautiful. Take your hand away and some of the beauty has gone.

http://www.chemistry.manchester.ac.uk/news/images/newBuild1.jpg

I quite like some of the buildings going up around the uni- they have a certain seriousness to them, as though important stuff that us mere mortals wouldnt understand is going on inside.
I do worry however that Upper Brook Street is becoming less humane when the opportunity to humanise it more was there. It is getting a canyon feel. There is no relationship at street level to most of these buildings. Of couse Upper Brook st is insanely busy with traffic but nothing that couldnt be softened by setting the buildings back and creating some human space between the building and road. The new development on the little chef site has retail at ground level but i dont know how that will work -it being essentially set on a traffic roundabout.

I'm concerned that the 1000-seat lecture theatre will turn out to be a faceless blot on the landscape where the Maths Tower used to be, and it will be in yer face because it's too close to the road.

Quite a few concrete cores and supporters peering up over the fences around here now. might be worth a few photos for those of you that do that kind of thing.

I'm concerned that the 1000-seat lecture theatre will turn out to be a faceless blot on the landscape where the Maths Tower used to be, and it will be in yer face because it's too close to the road.

I like Mcaslan's stuff usually and i quite like this in a brooding, almost menacing kinda way, but like you say it, and like so many other uni buildings, it turns its back on the street and this does look too close to the road doesnt it? -nb see my previous comment about creating a human space between road and building - applies as much to Oxford road as it does Upper Brook street

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f85/garybaldy/SCAN-1.gif

I pass all these buildings every day as I go into uni, and have seen this progressed. Have tried to upload pictures but my phone is being crap so I can't get the images off at the moment. Will upload ASAP.

But this new chemistry lab is pretty well into development now, cladding is about 15% done. It doesn't look out of context though, because although it doesn't compliment what it's being built onto, all alongside it (which isn't shown in that render) behind the Medical School (Stopford building) are three more buildings in exactly the same style. One is complete and just having an extra wing constructed at the moment, and the second is just about finished. There is a model of them in the Medical School. From the model, the street it is alongside is going to be pedestrianised, with lots of grass and trees, and there will be a glass bridge somewhere too. I can try and get a picture if anyone wants.

Also, remember, further on from this you have the new student accomodation and all the land the maths tower was on too.

To all those maths tower lovers out there. IT WAS HORRIBLE. Sitting inside that building was very depressing. It was damp, smelly and dark. It would have cost more to modernise it and revamp it then it is doing to build all these new buildings. Obvious choice to the university me thinks.

In other news, the Coupland Building (thats the one next to the museum down Coupland Street. The sign saying Manchester Museum hangs over the entrance to the street) is nearly finished and is looking a lot nicer now with it's double glazed windows. Lots of lovely buildings down that street, everyone listed I would presume! Only one that looks neglected is the dental school now. Art Deco is always overlooked.

EDIT: (I'm a lurker btw ;) )

Longford, I like this:

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f85/garybaldy/SCAN-1.gif

I meant this:

http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/2618/uni1456qs.jpg

havaska: I thought the Maths Tower was beautiful, iconic, inspirational, picture postcard tower of modern mathematical science that was ahead of its time (see Isis Wharf). I never found sitting inside it at all depressing as I gazed out over the city. And it certainly couldn't have cost more to revamp it. OK I can appreciate that lecturers would prefer a new building, but IMHO the University should have taken a long hard look at what they could have done with it and consulted the alumni before demolishing it at great cost. Having said all that I wouldn't mind if the replacement was something special, but the replacement threatens to be an OhMyGod! carbuncle blot on the landscape.

All: sorry to go over old ground.

PS: that yellow makes me think the Arndale was ahead of its time too. Certainly ahead of the yellow block. I like yellow, but that apart the building looks somewhat sixties, like it predates the Maths Tower.
PPS: these two new buildings relate to one another like shit, and they're cramped, shoehorned, too close to the road. Groan. My granny could do better than this, and she's been pushing up daisies for twenty years in Crumpsall Cemetry.

EDIT: (I'm a lurker btw )

Welcome Havaska, and just what part of Lurkshire are you from then?

Lurkshire? Why, that would be Rainford, St. Helens!

But I've lived in Manchester for the last three years due to university. I do consider both Manchester and Liverpool still Lancashire though. None of this Merseyside Greater Manchester rubbish.

farsight - say it aint so!
I am not familiar with the biscuit tin that you show! Which one is being built - i was under the impression the Mcaslan scheme was the one going ahead?

havaska - ah! St helens? - home to finest post war block in the north (if not the country)
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f85/garybaldy/pilks.jpg

And before you all start gathering the lynch mob for me - its already listed!

That's Pilkingtons HQ in all it's glory. It's actually well maintained inside and it used to have a glass museum in there. They've moved it to a purpose built museum near the town centre now. You can see it pretty much from anywhere in StHelens and it's an icon now.

One thing you have to give StHelens credit for is that all the new builds there use lots and lots of glass! Even the supermarkets there have big glass shards projecting into the sky.

It's the biscuit tin, Longmore.

That St Helen's thing is interesting. The actual building itself doesn't do much for me, but the layout and the water and bridge makes for a pleasing effect despite what looks like grubby concrete. Mental note made.

It's the biscuit tin, Longmore.

Well bugger me- that is horrific - right opposite a Grade 1 listed building aswell - i shall have words with the relevant people!

That St Helen's thing is interesting. The actual building itself doesn't do much for me, but the layout and the water and bridge makes for a pleasing effect despite what looks like grubby concrete. Mental note made.

Yes it is looking a bit grubby (actually looks slightly better in real life - sort of dark blue slate effect) and the takeover deal is worrying but the landscaping is great and as you can imagine the fenestration and decorative glass is first class. Do you remember that live action Gerry Anderson show UFO? It has that sort of feel to it.

Lurkshire? Why, that would be Rainford, St. Helens!

But I've lived in Manchester for the last three years due to university. I do consider both Manchester and Liverpool still Lancashire though. None of this Merseyside Greater Manchester rubbish.


I lived in St.Helens for a while and some of my family are Mancunians and my mother's side is from Whiston. I can assure you neither Manchester nor St.Helens or Liverpool have been in Lancashire since 1973. I'm proud to have lived in the great modern counties of Gtr Manchester and Merseyside and still live in Gtr Manchester. It's been 33 years since we were lucky enough to be taken out of Lancashire - get over it. If you;re in Manchester, you're in Gtr Manchester county - END OF.

That's not true, the counties still do exist. It's just that "administrative counties" of Merseyside etc were set-up. However, these no longer exsit. There are 'unitary councils' now though. As such StHelens, Blackburn, Blackpool etc have their own councils that act as the county councils did.

Do a google, check wikipedia or go to

http://www.forl.co.uk/003/confuse.html

and see what I mean!

Thanks for the image of the Chemistry building extension. We have had a sketchy drawing before but nothing with that level of detail.



**



Regarding the Student and Nursing Centre being built on the site of the Maths Tower, I believe it is still a McAslan design. See below.


John McAslan & Partners
24 June 2005

http://www.bdonline.co.uk/Pictures/web/h/u/n/NDREW_PUTLER_005.jpg

John McAslan & Partners’ £225 million masterplan for the University of Manchester includes a £40 million student centre.

... A very promising image although Im concerned about some of the images presented with the planning application:

The cylindrical lecture hall will be a great addition to the campus, significantly improving the quality of the environment where the grim Maths tower once stood and breaking up the monotony created by the neighbouring Computing block. Im concerned however that it appears to be far too close to the first rectangular block sitting behind it creating an awkward relationship although this is perhaps resoved by the interconnecting atrium.
http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/2618/uni1456qs.jpg

I also have serious reservations about the cladding. Yellow and grey do not work well together - you only have to look at that apartment block at the quays (Sovereign Point) for evidence of that. I hope the cladding is top quality.
http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/6501/uni1477ql.jpg


Assuming they iron out these gripes Im sure this will be a great addition to the campus, significantly improving the look and feel of the area, particularly with that new pedestrian walkway connecting Oxford Road with Upper Brook Street.



**


This new walkway will carry on directly beneath this Sheppard Robson designed AMPPS building

Appointing the finger
23 September 2005

http://www.bdonline.co.uk/Pictures/web/p/p/i/AMPPSUniversitySque.jpg

Sheppard Robson has won planning permission for a £25 million new building for The University of Manchester. The new building, to be known as AMPPS, will bring together the university’s astronomy, mathematics, physics and photon science departments.

The 17,000sq m building is made up of three finger shapes clad in zinc to create a dramatic facade on Upper Brook Street.

The mathematics and astronomy fingers are linked by a glass walkway suspended above a four-storey atrium, while an over-sailing roof links the three fingers and provides space for solar panels.


.... which is a suitably distinctive and science-ey looking replacement for the Maths tower and the other departments it will house.

Yes I agree it is a shame that a lot of these new buildings to Upper Brook Street have not integrated more at street level. An opportunity missed I think give some life to Upper Brook Street which whilst it is becoming an increasingly impressive boulevard with all these new buildings sprouting up along its length, there is little for the pedestrian in terms of ameneties.

The model and the image seem to be slightly at odds. the image shows the block hard up against the 'tin' but the model seems to have a larger gap. The model instils more confidence that the image does. i suppose the first scheme was a bit drab - this one is certainly a bit more jaunty. I suspect the muted pallete of grey and yellow is to 'compliment' the museum but as sleepy says it will have to top quality to work. The Sheppard Robson scheme is quite exciting and as sleepy says suitably tekky.

The lecture hall and yellow block really scare me. I really hope the pic and model are nothing but dirty lies.

I really can't place all these buildings. Perhaps someone (yes you CAW o mighty one) could be so selfless as to do one of those numbered aerial threads such has been doen for the CBD projects and the Salford Quays projects. I would be very grateful to such a kind soul. ;)

Maybe you could stretch it to include the UMIST and ManMet campus' with the recent reclads/new builds.

I think it looks pretty good from this end. It's somewhat staid, but the yellow lifts it and looks OK with the grey here. There's space, colour, layout, interest, greenery. The only thing I'm not keen on is the service cores sticking up on the right, but I struggle to say why. Maybe it's because it's a seventies look exacerbated by the small square windows. Contrast it with GN tower or other new builds where windows are grouped into long clean horizontal boxes or recesses.

http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/6501/uni1477ql.jpg

For all you fans of steel framing (and i know you out there!):

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f85/garybaldy/IM000134.jpg


and, didnt there used to be nice building here?

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f85/garybaldy/IM000137.jpg

Don't start me off now, Longford.

http://aidan.co.uk/md/ManOxfdRdMathsBlg4X08.jpg

Sob.

You know, one of my favourite buldings around there is the Precinct Centre. Normally I'm not a big fan of red brick, but I think it's so beautiful. Long sleek window lines, relief, variation, the curvy bit on top, a single bright colour and a real wow length.

Looking for a picture.

The Precinct Centre really stretches my appreciation of all things post war. I must admit i hate it both architecturally and in urban design terms. I was hoping they would knock it down so we could get a better view of the Maths Tower but.....!
Apparently Alvar Alto's Saynatsalo was an inspiration (which i can kinda see)

http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Saynatsalo_Town_Hall.html

Huh? Surely that's nothing like my Precinct Centre? Darn, I couldn't find a picture. Anybody got a picture of the Precinct Centre? And how are the tiles these days?

http://www.bia.govt.nz/publicat/news97/duty.html

And isn't it listed? I think it's so beautiful it should be.

http://www.manchester2002-uk.com/buildings/who-built2.html

Are we talking about the same Precinct Centre?
The Phoenix Centre opposite the NRCM?
Listed ? No (if we are talking about the same building) by Wilson and Wolmersley (as in Arndale!)

Jeez, this is the best I can do and I gotta go. The bricky bit on the left.

http://www.kdomain.co.uk/krn/mathstower/images/2005/feb/newmaths.jpg

Aw come on now, don't start saying you like the precinct. You're giving people even more ammo then.

Found this from a job i did last year. I was supposed to photograph the MBS but couldnt bring myself to show the building so can you see how i'm trying to hide it behind the sign?

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f85/garybaldy/IMG_1219.jpg

This is 'better' though:
http://www.ioannisverdelis.com/gallery/General-Manchester/001_ManchesterBusinessSchool

The precinct building isn't that bad. I don't like the darkness under it where it passes over the road. It's a bit of a missed opportunity at the moment and most of the shops in it are pretty downmarket or empty. It is used a lot by the students though. I think with a bit of TLC, ie some decent lighting, some plants and maybe a retile inside so it isn't all brown looking then it would be a lot lighter and be a lot more loved.

As a whole though, I think the University of Manchester has some of the most brilliant variance in design and architecture. People go on about Oxbridge and the like but I seriously think that Man Uni has everything. There seems to be a building from every decade and design philosphy somewhere on campus. Just brilliant.

I think the inside isn't much cop, and those elevated walkways were something of a "streets inthe sky" architectural fad that never really worked. Just to make it clear I mean the big 250-metre-long red brick/tile building with black windows that bridges Oxford Road and contains the MBS plus student accommodation plus other stuff. Yes Longford, it was done by the Arndale architects Wilson and Womersley. I don't usually like red brick but I like this. If I could find a decent picture I could maybe explain why. If anybody's interested. Is anybody interested?

Well, I lived there for a year. Great place

http://www.ioannisverdelis.com/albums/General-Manchester/001_ManchesterBusinessSchool.jpg

Oh no (yet they used to give away free packs of fags, and a few fresh ho-sluts were conquered in there).....The footage and Firkin

http://www.ioannisverdelis.com/albums/General-Manchester/005_TheFootage.jpg

Oh yes. Best pub in Manchester.. the sallie
http://www.ioannisverdelis.com/albums/General-Manchester/019_MyHomeandSalies.jpg

Thanks for the picture Jerv. Here's why I like the Precinct Centre:

1) The size. It's big. Wow it's big. Maybe 250 metres long. It's not that I only like big buildings, but if this was the size of my house I wouldn't notice it.

2) The colour. Ordinarily I'm not a fan of red brick, but I like colour more than I dislike brick. Especially this brick. It's glazed and uniform and slightly redder than most. And the black windows accentuate the colour, and give it a modern feel.

3) The windows. Aka fenestration. I like the black, and I like the long strong horizontals. I much prefer this sort of thing to little squares. I can't explain why, I just think it looks nicer. They somehow give the building a face, kind of like a robot smile.

4) The relief and variation. This is no flat faced box. It projects forward here and out there, and some parts are higher than others. The result is a solid and interesting structure.

5) The top. It's neat, it's crowned off on the right, and I really like that round structure further right.

Overall it hits my spot. If it was drab dirty concrete it could be a bit of an eyesore. If it had lots of surface treatments eg like Leftbank it would maybe look fussy or cheap. If it had boxy little windows like Grosvenor Place it could look old hat. If the roof was capped with say a steel structure like The Green Building it could look a mess. I wonder if we all like GN Tower for some of the same reasons.

http://www.ioannisverdelis.com/albums/General-Manchester/001_ManchesterBusinessSchool.jpg

Yes - if they dont mess about with it (reclad or change the windows) maybe it will come into its own in the next few years - well hell - even i am beginning to warm to it!

I can see my office window on that photo! :)

Give us wave then!

http://www.ioannisverdelis.com/albums/General-Manchester/005_TheFootage.jpg

Ah the now called scream bar...The days i got in there with fake ID were the best nights of my 16-17 adolescent copping off with student days...

Give us wave then!

:wave:

Oh no (yet they used to give away free packs of fags, and a few fresh ho-sluts were conquered in there).....The footage and Firkin

Ha ha!!! I remember that, the Marlboro Lite girls! That was a while ago though...

could anybody tell me please - where is the footage/scream bar? im presuming off oxford road?

It's on the corner of Oxford Road and Grosvenor Street. In the Man Met sort of area. :)

ok, cheers m.p. :cheers:

The University of Manchester is the number one destination for aspiring students for the second year running.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/4717460.stm

More good news for Manchester.

£2m hope for wonder cures

A RESEARCH centre developing cutting edge stem cell transplant technology is to open in Manchester.

The £2m centre will use human eggs to develop new treatments for cancer, diabetes and bone and cartilage repairs.

The North West Embryonic Stem Cell Centre will be one of only five centres nationally capable of producing the high-quality cells required for human transplantation.

Researchers at the centre, which will have bases at Manchester University and St Mary's Hospital, in the city centre, will concentrate on finding techniques to produce stem cells from immature or poor-quality eggs which would normally be discarded during fertility treatment. They hope their work will also improve the IVF process.

Embryos

Scientists believe that stem cells - master cells found in embryos that have the potential to turn into any kind of human tissue - could eventually be used to replace diseased cells in patients suffering from presently incurable diseases such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, diabetes and some cancers.

Consultant embryologist Dr Daniel Brison, a co-director of the centre, said: "The government have decided they want to develop human stem cells for the benefit of patients and this centre will have laboratories which will allow us to produce stem cells, of the high standard required for human transplantation, for the first time, putting us at the forefront of that process.

"Treatments using stem cells are still years off, but this is a very exciting field of medicine with lots of possibilities for the future.

"We believe there may in the future be a shortage of embryos for stem cell research, so we have decided to focus on techniques to produce stem cells from poor-quality eggs."

The North West Development Agency, which has provided £1.45m towards the centre, has also given £1.45m to the university to establish a UK Centre for Tissue Regeneration, which will be based next door to the stem cell labs on Grafton Street.

Here, researchers will help develop artificial arteries, skin repair products, cartilage regeneration and nerve repair techniques.

Donation

Researchers at the stem cell centre will ask patients on IVF programmes to donate eggs and embryos that would normally be discarded.

Manchester University already has licences from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority to carry out embryo research and make embryonic stem cells. Copies of any stem cells they produce will be stored at the national stem call bank in Hertfordshire, ready to be used in possible treatments in the future.

Professor Peter Stern, in Manchester University's Paterson Institute for Cancer Research, at Christie Hospital, will focus on the use of embryonic stem cells in the fight against cancer.

Bosses hope to recruit three experienced stem cell research scientists to work at the centre when it opens in June, along with a lab technician, an administrator and a doctor to work with patients in the IVF centre.

The centre is a joint project between Manchester University, the Central Manchester and Manchester Children's University Hospital NHS Trust, the Paterson Institute and Liverpool University.

Worth a look + other stuff.

http://www.umic.co.uk/about_umic/videos.php

Does anyone know whats going on on the surface car park between the Michael Smith building (Life Sciences) and the new extension to the Bioincubator building on Upper Brook Street.

Diggers are on site and it looks like hoardings are being errected. I dont remember a planning application going in for this site?

Is it the new Humanities Building?

Nope. The new Humanities building is under construction, just off Oxford Road in front of the Precint Centre. The site Im talking about is here....

http://i1.tinypic.com/ohmh6t.jpg

The orange blocks are pre-existing buildings. The darker purple blocks are Project Unity new-build.

I suppose its just part of the whole Photon Science Institute which i think covers 4 or 5 buildings. I'll do some more digging - i have a copy of the masterplan somewhere.

Apparently Manchester University has a serious cash/funding crisis.

How do I know? My girlfriend told me, she works there.

Yes i have heard as much aswell- i think the deficit runs to 9 figures. I think they knew this was going to happen though. I remember hearing a big wig saying that it was 'building for the future' and used statements such as 'complex funding packages' and 'future revenue streams'. All i would say is - glad i dont have their overdraft and although i dont agree with much of the masterplan it seems Manchester is maintaining itself as true worldclass research facility.

Yes i have heard as much aswell- i think the deficit runs to 9 figures. I think they knew this was going to happen though. I remember hearing a big wig saying that it was 'building for the future' and used statements such as 'complex funding packages' and 'future revenue streams'. All i would say is - glad i dont have their overdraft and although i dont agree with much of the masterplan it seems Manchester is maintaining itself as true worldclass research facility.

Manchester University could always sell more land and property if need be.

My money is on Owens Park and some of the Umist campus. What do you think?

Depends how much financial trouble there in.

I'd sell the Didsbury/South Manchester land first and then the city centre land later, if need be.

Hey jrb - looks like just you and me about tonight - i'm sending you a private message.

Hey jrb - looks like just you and me about tonight - i'm sending you a private message.

Scary! :)

My money is on Owens Park and some of the Umist campus. What do you think?

Nope, neither. The university has tons of non-university land and buildings about. They could raise millions if they wanted to, but they do get revenue from rents.

This cash flow crisis is just that. Just a large amount of development has happened at once and so the expenditure this year is huge. Give it a few years and the books will balance out. The university is actually quite rich.

Manchester planner - thanks for that. I agree its just cash flow but i know they want to dispose of all the student accomodation into the private sector and some of the Umist buildings will be surplus to requirements once all this state of the art Photon thingy is built i'm guessing. Do you not agree?
I'm interested to know what 'non university land and buildings' they own - any good examples?

There's some examples on the wikipedia article.

As for UMIST surplus buildings... well, many of UMIST's buildings will need to be demolished soon as they're basically piles of 60s crap.

And selling off student accommodation is something the university would love to do, but is facing much opposition.

Here's a good example for you Longford..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tabley_House

Here's a good example for you Longford..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tabley_House

Next time i stop for a pasty at Knutsford Services i will remember that i'm on a bit of University land. Very interesting - thanks for that.
Not a fan of the '60's crap' at Umist eh? Not even the Renold Building or the Chemical Engineering Building?

It's been on the cards for years - the sale of 60s buildings such as Chandos Hall and Maths and Social Sciences.

I won't miss them. In fact, I'd get a front row seat to see these two get the semtex treatment.
http://www.skyscrapernews.com/images/pics/973MathematicsandSocialSciencesBuilding_pic1.jpg
http://www.skyscrapernews.com/images/pics/974ChandosHall_pic1.jpg

(And of course, one individual will no doubt vehemently disagree because these are over 12 stories)

the second of those two buildings is without doubt the most hideous building in manchester. even worse than portland tower with its dodgy yellow cladding

Like the stair tower on Chandos but neither are especially good are they?
Maths and SS building has that brave new world, white heat of technology kinda feel about it but its a bit Eastern Europe/ DHSS isn't it?

well the first one is more bland than hideous.

The first one looks like it will fall down befour anyone can even get the semtex treatment. Look at the walls they are damp hopefully the concrete will then crack and they the council gives orders for it to come down.

It's not damp andy, the Maths and Social Sciences tower is right next to the Mancunian Way. 30 years of traffic fumes.

The Renold Building should be kept though, definitely.
http://www.lookingatbuildings.org.uk/img_hr/Manchester_Renold_Building.jpg

It's not damp andy, the Maths and Social Sciences tower is right next to the Mancunian Way. 30 years of traffic fumes.

The Renold Building should be kept though, definitely.
http://www.lookingatbuildings.org.uk/img_hr/Manchester_Renold_Building.jpg
Well it should be damp, it would do us all a favor.

the building in the background is pretty vile too. i always think it looks really odd the way the tried putting that little thing on top in some vain attempt to make it look more pleasing to the eye. though failing miserably in the process

the building in the background is pretty vile too. i always think it looks really odd the way the tried putting that little thing on top in some vain attempt to make it look more pleasing to the eye. though failing miserably in the process

the Renold and Student Union are by the same architect. I much prefer the renold but i think they all work well together.
I must add at this stage that i have put forward the Renold Building for listing.

At this stage The Longford don's his helmet, ducks for cover and awaits the barrage of abuse!

"I must add at this stage that i have put forward the Renold Building for listing."

You tit! :|

language MP :nono:

MP - after reading your thoughtful and decisive arguments i have now reconsidered my actions and will withdraw the application post haste.
I must thank you for your articulate and intelligent input and am grateful to you for showing me the error of my ways in such an erudite and sophisticated way.

No problem.. ;)

:okay:

The Barnes Wallace building is pure 60's genius. I suggest it's opponents go to the computer lab on the top floor and look at the roof structure. Shooporb.

Also, the Reynold building is best viewed from the opposite angle that that on the above pic. The North east gable is fantastic.

Jerv - we are not alone in our appreciation of both Renold and Barnes Wallace. There is growing realisation of the quality of the Umist campus both relating to individual buildings and as a group. It is one of the most complete and cohesive post war university campuses. It will be a shame to smash holes in it but some buildings are unfortunately not up to the quality of Renold, Chem Eng and Barnes Wallace and will probably go.

Sorry, but the majority of the UMIST campus, with the obvious exception of the Sackville Street building, is just crap. I walk through it often and I have a fellow planning student living there. It's crap! This is why the university have plans to slowly replace just about every building there.

Come on guys. If you like or don't like a building try to work out why and say so. All this talk of "it's crap, blow it up" about just so juvenile. You've got a situation where the University is running into money problems, and so would you if you replaced your house every thirty years. There's some big issues here, let's try to get to the bottom of what makes something "crap", and what planners can do now to avoid the replacement being dismissed as crap in thirty years time.

Farsight = the voice of reason.
I may be seen as a crank by some people but you will hopefullynever hear me say " thats crap' without at least trying to justify why i think its crap (however perverted it may be).
People are entitled to their opinions but if you try and be a bit more informed in your opinions then people tend to take you more seriously.
This isnt aimed at any particular individual, i'm just saying this because informed debate is much better than "shut up you knobhead" type comments.

^^Come on mate. What did you call the award-winning gardens at the green quater the other day?

I'd like to see the M&SS building cleaned up and put to good use, such as student accommodation. I feel unhappy about the University knocking down serviceable highrise buildings to replace them with lowrise while leaving student accommodation to somebody else. I've got two teenage children, and I've worked out that if they both go to University for three years apiece, I'm going to have to find six times £12k, or £72k. So I'll be paying through the nose, and I don't want to feel that my money's being squandered on architectural fads.

http://www.skyscrapernews.com/images/pics/973MathematicsandSocialSciencesBuilding_pic1.jpg

On the other hand, if the University were to demolish some building and replace it with something bigger and taller, or sell it so somebody who would, I wouldn't mind so much. For example, if this Renold were to be replaced I wouldn't be broken hearted. I don't think it looks too good anyhow, and I reckon more value could be squeezed out of its plot.

http://www.lookingatbuildings.org.uk/img_hr/Manchester_Renold_Building.jpg

PS: I'm not too keen on the University selling off open land, because I think this urbanises the campus and makes it less pleasant. But if the economics were good, maybe I'd go along with it.

^^Come on mate. What did you call the award-winning gardens at the green quater the other day?

I called them 'piss poor' and i was using it the context of calling Red Bank 'The Green Quarter'. I was wondering why it was called that because i cant see much to call it that
a) for its environmental credentials and
b) for its huge amount of green space.
It may be award winning but it is still piss poor.
See what i did there? I backed up an opinion with some pertinent questions - thats my point.

No I agree with you, but we don't all do it all the time do we. I don't think we should get on Manchester Planners back for expressing his opinion without giving a series of reasons. It's nothing more than personal taste I can't explain why I don't fancy Gwyneth Palthrow, but I sure as hell don't. ;)