National
Graphene Institute
This building on Booth Street East is the National Graphene Institute.
The University of Manchester website explains that, "Graphene is a two dimensional material consisting of a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a honeycomb or chicken wire structure. It is the thinnest material known and yet is also one of the strongest. It conducts electricity as efficiently as copper and outperforms all other materials as a conductor of heat. Graphene is almost completely transparent, yet so dense that even the smallest atom helium cannot pass through it." The connection to Manchester is the fact that Andre Geim and Kostya Novoselov received several awards for their pioneering research on graphene at the University of Manchester including the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physics.
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Images from the construction phase.
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Some images from earlier in the construction phase.
This building on Booth Street East is the National Graphene Institute.
The University of Manchester website explains that, "Graphene is a two dimensional material consisting of a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a honeycomb or chicken wire structure. It is the thinnest material known and yet is also one of the strongest. It conducts electricity as efficiently as copper and outperforms all other materials as a conductor of heat. Graphene is almost completely transparent, yet so dense that even the smallest atom helium cannot pass through it." The connection to Manchester is the fact that Andre Geim and Kostya Novoselov received several awards for their pioneering research on graphene at the University of Manchester including the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physics.
Jestico and Whiles, the
building's architects, say on their website that, “The
building is a compact 4 storey cube that
occupies the full site foot print. The main
cleanroom is located on the lower ground floor
to achieve best vibration performance. Offices
and labs are intermixed on all floors with most
of the labs and all the offices having views and
daylight. A top lit double height breakout space
linking two floors provides welcome respite at
the heart of the intense working environment. A
roof terrace also forms part of the top floor
social and public area.
The building is enclosed by an economic inner skin comprising a proprietary composite cladding panel system that provides weather tightness and thermal insulation and accommodates flush windows and other openings as required. Fixed to the outside of this inner skin is a separate perforated stainless steel ‘veil’ which wraps around the volumes of the different elements of the building continuously to provide a unifying texture and fluid shape. Cut-outs in the perforated steel provide clear views out from internal spaces and allow access for window cleaning via water fed extendable pole or cherry picker. Gantries are provided at 1st, 2nd & 3rd floors along the south façade for window cleaning purposes.”
The ‘veil’ is made of hundreds of black mirror stainless steel panels, each one containing thousands of perforations that make up the equations used in graphene research."
The building is enclosed by an economic inner skin comprising a proprietary composite cladding panel system that provides weather tightness and thermal insulation and accommodates flush windows and other openings as required. Fixed to the outside of this inner skin is a separate perforated stainless steel ‘veil’ which wraps around the volumes of the different elements of the building continuously to provide a unifying texture and fluid shape. Cut-outs in the perforated steel provide clear views out from internal spaces and allow access for window cleaning via water fed extendable pole or cherry picker. Gantries are provided at 1st, 2nd & 3rd floors along the south façade for window cleaning purposes.”
The ‘veil’ is made of hundreds of black mirror stainless steel panels, each one containing thousands of perforations that make up the equations used in graphene research."
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Images from the construction phase.
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Some images from earlier in the construction phase.