Plot C, Sister, Manchester, a pair of linked commercial buildings located on the north-east corner of the Sister campus, has received planning approval from Manchester City Council. Designed by Allies and Morrison and SLA for client Sister, a joint venture between the University of Manchester and Bruntwood SciTech, the scheme represents the first major new-build phase of the master plan for Manchester’s emerging innovation district. With a total gross external area of approximately 81,000 square metres, the development is positioned as one of the city’s largest new workplace-led projects, marking a key moment in the phased transformation of the site.
The approved proposals comprise two large, interconnected commercial buildings set within extensive landscaping, public routes, and a reconfigured public square. The scheme is conceived to provide a wide range of workspaces capable of accommodating start-ups, small and medium-sized enterprises, and larger organisations within a single development. Flexibility is a central design consideration, with the two buildings linked to support adaptable floorplates and shared spatial connections, while maintaining a clear organisational structure that integrates workplace environments with publicly accessible outdoor areas.
Although unified through a shared architectural language, the two buildings are differentiated through scale, massing, and material expression. The lower building, referred to as C1, features warmer red tones that complement the surrounding brick context and the Whitworth Street Conservation Area. In contrast, the taller C2 building is defined by a darker, charcoal-grey appearance, giving it a more pronounced vertical presence. Together, the buildings frame the Piccadilly gateway, establishing a recognisable threshold to the Sister campus while remaining legible as distinct elements within the broader ensemble.
The public realm, designed by natura-based design studio SLA, plays a significant role in the approved scheme, with landscaped spaces and pedestrian routes designed to structure movement across the site and connect the buildings to their immediate context. The inclusion of a reimagined public square supports permeability and creates opportunities for everyday use alongside the working environments. Through the integration of architecture and landscape, Plot C is intended to contribute to the evolving spatial framework of the Sister district, setting the parameters for subsequent phases of development following this initial planning approval.
In other recent news, SNOB Architects’ Futuristic Office Building in Barcelona’s El Raval district introduces a contemporary office program within a dense, historically layered urban context, with completion scheduled for 2026. In Tokyo, construction has begun on NTT’s new global headquarters, a key component of PLP Architecture’s Tokyo Cross Park masterplan first announced in 2022. Meanwhile, Meganom’s residential tower at 262 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan is approaching completion, developed for Five Points Development in collaboration with Norm Architects, SLCE Architects, and untitled architecture.
