Sustainable Materials & Manufacturing Centre

Bringing together workshop space, labs, metrology facilities, offices and teaching areas in one flexible building, the SMMC is setting the benchmark for what the innovation district represents. It provides a practical, accessible home for start-ups, researchers and manufacturers to work, prototype and train together within this growing innovation district.

The SMMC sits within Kingsway Business Park, a long-established employment site that continues to evolve as part of Greater Manchester’s growth strategy. The site presented an opportunity to introduce a new type of building that reflects the shift towards advanced manufacturing, research and low-carbon industries. 

Positioned prominently alongside key routes and the Metrolink, the site is well placed to support a new phase of development. The SMMC builds on this context, helping to establish Atom Valley and setting a benchmark for future innovation-led projects across the wider masterplan. 

The SMMC connects research, training and production in one place, giving high-growth sectors the adaptable space they currently lack. It anchors the first phase of the Atom Valley innovation cluster with a building designed to grow alongside the region’s ambitions.

This flexible building, allows new technologies, equipment and teaching models to be integrated over time. Its combination of double-height technical space, controlled environments, training rooms and collaborative areas supports a wide range of uses, from prototyping and materials testing to demonstration and skills development. 

Appointed to develop the scheme through Stage 4, we were subsequently novated to the contractor delivering the base build. Working from the concept design prepared by another firm, leading the technical design development and coordination in close collaboration with the contractor and supply chain. This process focused on resolving buildability, integrating specialist requirements and aligning the design with programme and cost constraints. 

All design development was undertaken within a controlled change management process, with the original architect retained by the client as design advisor. This ensured that any proposed refinements to specification or layout were carefully reviewed and agreed, maintaining design integrity while enabling efficient delivery. 

The building draws on the area’s industrial character through a simple, durable material palette and a clearly defined entrance that reinforces the SMMC’s identity. The façade system was developed in detail to support efficient construction and long-term maintenance, with repeatable cladding modules and carefully coordinated openings, louvres and solar control elements contributing to environmental performance. 

A fabric-first, passive design strategy underpins the environmental approach. Enhanced envelope performance, solar shading, efficient ventilation routes and well-planned servicing zones help reduce energy demand. The roof and infrastructure are also designed to accommodate future PV and emerging technologies, ensuring the building can evolve alongside the industries it supports.