On 7th October, Architects For Health organised a building visit to The Christie Patterson Building in Manchester, ahead of the IHEEM Healthcare Estates conference.
A multi-storey research laboratory that runs clinical trials for cancer treatment as part of The Christie Hospital. The building stands above its neighbours and features stunning views of Manchester’s skyline from pretty much everywhere you look.
When the former laboratory building suffered a major fire, the Christie NHS Foundation Trust, University of Manchester, and Cancer Research UK worked quickly together to turn this disaster into an opportunity for a reimagined facility that better reflected the scale and reputation of each of these three key stakeholders.
The building is planned around a clear diagram; evident in both its plan and elevation. Laboratories are organised in standardised clusters, with dedicated support space, lifts and risers to enable each to be independent from one another.
A write-up area is located outside these clusters on each floor, in one long joined-up flexible, convivial space along the full length of the building. One lesson was the value of creating convivial space that connected researchers and clinicians to promote informal discussion and exchange of knowledge. Floor to ceiling glazing, acoustic ceilings and a range of workspaces make this space work well and provide a great precedent for what NHS office space could be.
The project team can be proud of a well-conceived, well-thought-through and well-finished building. Thank you, Stuart Pepper and Matthew Hird, for your time and a very informative tour.
Ruairi Reeves | AfH Executive Committee
