KAMPUS is located at the former Manchester Metropolitan University campus in the heart of the city. Utilising the qualities of the existing built structures – mid-century brick mill buildings and the 1964 concrete tower – presents the opportunity to develop at the city block scale, creating new connections and a new destination.

A melting pot of buildings and spaces, KAMPUS will celebrate the vibrancy and diversity of the city with respect to the historic quality of the Conservation Area. The architecture expresses the individual building blocks with variations in height to make each facade legible. The alternating positions of accentuated apertures in the facade work to reduce the scale of the brick mass while the light pixel elements add relief and balance to the facades.

The buildings are horizontally divided into three distinct elements: a podium with dark profiled metal cladding, a mid-section with rough textured red brickwork, and a roofscape characterised by Dutch houses clad in weathered vertical timber slats. The podium anchors the new build and tower elements in a consistent base while creating a defined edge to the street.

A transparent plinth will provide views into a variety of bars, shops and independent establishments that will breathe life into the scheme and create a unique sense of place. The pocket parks mark the entrances of KAMPUS and the interesting spaces between the buildings will draw people into the heart of the scheme; a unique ‘secret garden’ that forms the perfect backdrop for afternoon and early evening social events.