Hawkins Brown has significantly reduced the scope of their landmark library project for Manchester Metropolitan University, cutting four stories from the original design in a major cost-saving redesign. The architectural firm's revised proposal will now feature a nine-story building instead of the previously approved 13-story structure, with the total floor space nearly cut in half.
The original ambitious design for the replacement All Saints Library was approved in February of last year and stood at an impressive 90 meters tall. The initial plan called for a 13-story building that would have provided approximately 22,000 square meters of floor space, representing a significant expansion of the university's library facilities.
However, the new scaled-back proposal represents a dramatic shift in the project's scope and ambition. The revised nine-story design will offer substantially less space, with the floor area reduced to roughly half of what was originally planned. This significant downsizing reflects the ongoing challenges facing educational institutions in managing construction costs amid economic pressures.
The decision to reduce the building's height and overall footprint appears to be driven primarily by budget considerations, as universities nationwide grapple with rising construction costs and tighter financial constraints. The redesign demonstrates how even approved architectural projects can undergo major revisions when economic realities require institutions to reassess their spending priorities.
Despite the substantial reduction in scale, the project is expected to move forward with the revised specifications. The university and Hawkins Brown will need to resubmit the modified plans for approval, marking a new chapter in what was originally conceived as a flagship architectural project for the Manchester Metropolitan University campus.
