Alliance Manchester Business School
Education, Higher Education Manchester, England (University of Manchester, Oxford Road)

Alliance Manchester Business School

The University of Manchester's ambition to establish itself among the world's top 25 research institutions drove the refurbishment of the Business School, with the aim of delivering world-class facilities to support its global standing.

LocationManchester, England (University of Manchester, Oxford Road)
SectorEducation, Higher Education

The Brief

The University of Manchester's ambition to establish itself among the world's top 25 research institutions drove the refurbishment of the Business School, with the aim of delivering world-class facilities to support its global standing. The Executive Education building is positioned adjacent to a new hotel block and opposite the main Business School entrance. Designed as a lightweight steel pavilion with independent mechanical and electrical services, it provides high-quality, flexible spaces, reception, dining and café/bar areas at ground floor, with ancillary spaces, conference and meeting facilities above.

The Challenge

Establish design criteria with all stakeholders and reflect the University's forward-looking vision, creating a flexible, future-proof environment for the evolving activities of the Business School, while maximising daylight and managing health & safety risk.

The Result

What we delivered

01

Lighting concept developed through to detailed design, with comprehensive documentation for both Stage 3 and the planning submission, informed by site visits, targeted lighting surveys and briefing sessions with the client and university stakeholders.

02

Detailed coordinated layouts, luminaire schedules and specifications incorporating the controls strategy; daylight maximised where appropriate, supported by PIR/occupancy sensors and an efficient lighting control system.

03

A CDM risk register was developed and managed to assess the design's health & safety implications, design out significant hazards, reduce residual risks and communicate mitigation to the wider team.

Giorgos’s Role

As Lighting Lead, Giorgos joined at RIBA Stage 3 and developed the concept through to detailed design. He worked with an assistant designer, established a structured programme of work aligned with the wider project timeline, planned and monitored resource allocation, and tracked time and fee expenditure, reporting directly to the Project Manager on programme and commercial matters and resolving issues through effective coordination.

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Available for lighting design, consultancy and collaboration across the UK and internationally.

© 2026 Giorgos Kourtelis. All rights reserved. Photography by Nick Caville & Paul Karalius · Project imagery courtesy of BDP Built by Fertile.Digital