Sheffield-based architectural practice, Race Cottam Associates (RCA) has been appointed by Smith+Nephew to design the firm’s brand new R&D and manufacturing facility for Advanced Wound Management near Hull.
Global medical technology business, Smith+Nephew, which was founded in Hull in 1856, confirmed it would be relocating to a 25-acre site at Melton West Business Park, approximately eight miles from their current site at Daltry Street. The firm will invest more than £80m building the new facility, which will create a world class R&D, manufacturing and flexible office environment. RCA has been appointed as full project architect, following a competitive tender process.
RCA’s director, Laurie Cottam, says: “This is an extremely significant win for our practice, and we are looking forward to working with the Smith+Nephew team to develop what will become a flagship centre for the business in the UK.
“Manufacturing facilities of this scale and complexity require extensive collaboration and specialist technical knowledge, which we’re proud to have established on facilities across the UK for similar blue-chip clients including further along the East Coast in Hull for Siemens. We’re excited to commence working with Smith+Nephew and designing a facility that will further cement their legacy in the region.”
The vision for the circa 30,000m² new building is to create a world-class working environment capable of delivering next generation products that will improve the standard of care for the NHS and customers across the globe. It will encourage innovation and collaboration, accommodate key manufacturing spaces and advanced laboratories which meet stringent cleanliness standards, and be future proof in terms of flexibility of space.
Laurie continues: “The design brief is comprehensive and includes an intention for the building to meet ambitious sustainability standards as well as a LEED silver certification. We will focus on producing a state-of-the-art facility which not only maximises energy and resource efficiencies but is also befitting of Smith + Nephew’s longstanding heritage in the Hull region.”
Paul Butler, the program director at Smith+Nephew, added: “Not only did RCA demonstrate considerable expertise delivering large scale manufacturing facilities and research laboratories, but their team strongly understood the significance of our relocation. As a practice which also has longstanding regional roots, we felt there was a positive synergy between the two businesses and were confident this would translate into a world leading facility.”
The new site is expected to open in 2024.
