The contract represents one of the largest capital developments ever undertaken by a UK university.
The four-year project, part of the University of Manchester’s 10-year campus masterplan, will provide new premises for its engineering schools, including teaching spaces and research institutes such as the Dalton Nuclear Institute and the BP  International Centre for Advanced Materials (BP-ICAM).
The new development will consolidate the majority of the university’s estate onto one main campus and free up land in the north of the campus.
Balfour Beatty will maximise the use of off-site manufacture and the latest in BIM technology to optimise construction efficiency. Despite this, at peak construction there will still be 1,000 construction workers on site.
Balfour Beatty was appointed to the university’s construction partnering framework in May 2015 and has been working under a pre-construction services agreement (PCSA) since November 2015, enabling design development and early engagement with key supply chain partners.
When the PCSA was signed, it was envisaged that work on site would start in the first half of 2016.
The new building has been designed by Mecanoo. The project team also includes Arup as engineer, Sweett as cost consultant, Aecom as CDM coordinator and Buro Four as project manager.
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