With the longest tradition of teaching optometry in the UK with clinics and laboratories located at the heart of the biomedical section at Manchester’s main campus.

Five storeys of the university’s Dover Street Building, a 1960s ‘new wing’ extension to the historic Carys Bannister Building, were refurbished to create a range of spaces to accommodate research and training in optometry services.

The project successfully delivered a design that allows inclusive access for visitors with low vision and binocular vision, with treated surfaces helping to remove specular reflections and limiting disability glare.

The reconfiguration of the building included the delivery of meeting rooms expressed on the street elevation, a new circulation core, and enhancement of an outlook into an internal courtyard. Energy performance was improved through the introduction of solar thermal heating and natural ventilation, with a combination of acoustic and black out vents in each room.

The project accommodates 4 discrete functional elements with vertical connection and integration which include the Vision Centre at ground floor, open to the public, the research led Eurolens centre at first floor, requiring access for visually impaired, the teaching spaces at second third and fourth floor, more research focused the higher up the building and the faculty administration offices at fifth floor level.

The location of the different functions within the project allowed for the phased handover of the project to suit the Academic delivery, research and retail requirements.