Images of Sheppard Robson's 'Hospital Corridor in the Sky’ bridge released

Images of Sheppard Robson's 'Hospital Corridor in the Sky’ bridge released

Mar 3, 2016  Architecture 


Images of Sheppard Robson's 'Hospital Corridor in the Sky’ bridge released
(Photo by: Sheppard Robson)

The proposed bridge design connects the recently completed Sheppard Robson-designed Grafton Street carpark with Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CMFT) to provide vital emergency care facilities for the region.

Suspended 12 metres above street-level is Sheppard Robson’s design for a new bridge that will boost accident and emergency (A&E) care in the region. The 130m-long structure –distinctive in form and materiality –will connect the proposed helipad on the top of the recently completed Sheppard Robson-designed Grafton Street carpark to the hospital, improving access to the hospital’s facilities, which include a specialist children’s A&E unit.

Developed in partnership with Bruntwood for Central Manchester University

Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, the design’s longest span is 40m-long and will be clad in reflective faceted metal panels. The choice of material and varied architectural form will allow the bridge to integrate into the skyline whilst also being animated by the changing quality of light.

Tony O’Brien, Partner at Sheppard Robson said: “Given the project’s location – within an estate of listed buildings and ambitious new major architectural projects – it was clear that there was a drive to create something of real architectural quality.

“We wanted the design to have an iridescent, shimmering quality that had a distinctive geometric form, but also reflected and was embedded within its environment.”

The recently completed Grafton Street carpark to which the new bridge will link – clad in a distinctive golden-coloured aluminum screen – creates an architectural focal point adjacent to Manchester’s Oxford Road.

The brief for the £13m extension to the existing carpark was to create a naturally ventilated structure that had the solidity of the neighbouring buildings. This was achieved through the perforated anodised aluminum façade produced by Aliva UK through the creation of individual v-shaped components forming the concertina-like elevations.

With the capacity to house 500 cars, the concrete structure of the building is 14 levels high. The new carpark sits next to Sheppard Robson’s multi award winning Citylabs project is a new concept in high-specification, flexible office and laboratory space, providing 130,000ft² of bespoke-built biomedical facilities. The project is a strong partnership between academics, clinicians and industry, driving innovation and investment in health science.




Via Sheppard Robson
Image,video ©: Sheppard Robson