Allies and Morrison's Plot C at Manchester's Sister District Receives Planning Approval

"Plot C, Sister, Manchester, a pair of linked commercial buildings located on the north-east corner of the Sister campus, has received planning approval from Manchester City Council. Designed by Allies and Morrison for client Sister, a joint venture between the University of Manchester and Bruntwood SciTech, the scheme represents the first major new-build phase of the master plan for Manchester's emerging innovation district."

"The approved proposals comprise two large, interconnected commercial buildings set within extensive landscaping, public routes, and a reconfigured public square. The scheme is conceived to provide a wide range of workspaces capable of accommodating start-ups, small and medium-sized enterprises, and larger organisations within a single development. Flexibility is a central design consideration, with the two buildings linked to support adaptable floorplates and shared spatial connections, while maintaining a clear organisational structure that integrates workplace environments with publicly accessible outdoor areas."

"Although unified through a shared architectural language, the two buildings are differentiated through scale, massing, and material expression. The lower building, referred to as C1, features warmer red tones that complement the surrounding brick context and the Whitworth Street Conservation Area. In contrast, the taller C2 building is defined by a darker, charcoal-grey appearance, giving it a more pronounced vertical presence. Together, the buildings frame the Piccadilly gateway, establishing a recognisable threshold to the Sister campus"

Plot C, Sister, Manchester comprises two linked commercial buildings on the north-east corner of the Sister campus and has planning approval from Manchester City Council. Allies and Morrison designed the development for Sister, a joint venture between the University of Manchester and Bruntwood SciTech. The project provides about 81,000 square metres of gross external area as a major new workplace-led phase in Manchester's innovation district. The proposals include interconnected buildings, landscaped public routes and a reconfigured public square. Flexible floorplates and linked buildings support start-ups, SMEs and larger organisations. C1 uses warmer red tones; taller C2 uses darker charcoal-grey to frame the Piccadilly gateway.

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