12 master’s degree students studying architecture attended the Royce Hub Building at The University of Manchester earlier this month. The students visited the Hub to learn about new technologies and materials and to inform their final research projects.
As part of their graduate projects, the students are tasked with producing designs for a research and development facility in central Manchester. Their day began with a presentation that covered the Royce Hub Building, focusing on its development and construction. Students were shown the rationale for choices made regarding the materials used in its design and were encouraged to deliberate on how these choices made the building suitable for its purpose and met its sustainability goals.
Following this, the students toured Royce’s laboratory facilities so that they could comprehend the scale and complexity of everything housed within an active research facility. This provided further insights to support their end of year projects by outlining the magnitude of the scale and diversity of equipment that they will have to account for in their designs.
The students were accompanied by their lecturer, Mr Phillip Win, who runs a studio lab called Meta Tectonics at Loughborough University that is doing research into new experimental materials and how they can be used to create unique futuristic atmospheres. The use of new materials and new technologies is encouraged within the field of architecture, and this visit expanded on these developments for the benefit of the students.
Mr Phillip Win said:
“The visit to the Henry Royce institute was a great experience for the students. As final year Architecture students, their studies this year are focused on research into material innovations. Their graduate projects will consist of designing a research and development facility in central Manchester.
“The visit to the Royce Hub provided them with a fantastic example of a research facility that is fit-for-purpose and well designed for its staff. The behind the scenes look into the labs was very insightful and provided the students with knowledge on how kitted out the spaces are with the necessary equipment.”
