EC Harris lands graphene hub project
EC Harris has been appointed by the University of Manchester as lead consultant on the project to deliver the new graphene hub building planned for Booth St East.
It won the bid following a design competition and is working alongside Jestico + Whiles Architects, CH2M Hill and Ramboll UK.
The £35m building is set to open by 2014 and has been funded with cash from the government via the Engineering and Physical Skills Research Council (EPSRC).
The aim of the hub is to find ways to commercialise graphene – the super-light, super-strong material discovered by Manchester’s Nobel prize winning scientists Professors Andre Geim and Kostya Novoselov.
The facility will be available to both researchers and businesses. It will contain highly serviced nano-technology laboratories and clean room environments with access to specialist facilities and equipment which enable the simulation of manufacturing processes. The Innovation Hub will also include space for start-up businesses launched by university graduates looking to exploit the potential uses of graphene.
The facility has already attracted interest from around 40 companies worldwide, including IBM, BAE Systems, Samsung and Siemens.
