Robotics Living Lab

A circular, low-carbon timber pavilion celebrating sustainable fashion innovation.

Designed for Manchester Fashion Institute, this single-storey timber-framed building provides an adaptable space for exhibitions, workshops and research into robotic and sustainable fashion technologies.

The design champions locally sourced materials: a Douglas fir structure, UK-grown straw insulation panels and a blackened larch cladding that protects the breathable wall system beneath. These bio-based materials lock in biogenic carbon and achieve an upfront embodied carbon figure of 468 kgCO₂e/m² (A1–A5), with a further –340 kgCO₂e/m² sequestered — aligning with the Net Zero Carbon Building Standard targets for higher education projects to 2030.

Passive ventilation and carefully balanced glazing reduce the need for mechanical cooling, while the expressive waffle soffit of the timber structure defines the interior. Located within a previously underused courtyard, the pavilion creates a new focal point for the Manchester Metropolitan University campus.

A post-occupancy evaluation is underway to assess performance against design predictions — part of an evidence-based approach to closing the gap between ambition and delivery.