Kampus garden is the new look of the village

FIRST LOOK IMAGES REVEAL THE URBAN GARDEN THAT WILL BE THE FOCAL POINT FOR KAMPUS – THE NEW, £250 MILLION NEIGHBOURHOOD NEAR CANAL STREET.

Bringing a new green hangout space to the city, the central garden at KAMPUS – a joint project by CAPITAL&CENTRIC and Henry Boot Developments – will form a new oasis in Manchester with lush greenery, towering trees and alfresco dining spaces.

The £250 million development currently under construction at Aytoun Street will be the city’s newest neighbourhood and will transform the former Manchester Metropolitan University site, as newly released images showcasing the canal-side central garden at KAMPUS show.

Two floors of independent bars, restaurants and shops will frame the garden. The Grade II listed Minto & Turner and Minshull House buildings will provide a historic backdrop, while the Bungalow – a salvaged concrete box on stilts overlooking the Rochdale canal – will be a pop-up events space. 

Adam Higgins, Capital & Centric said:

“This year’s blistering summer has highlighted how little green space there is in the city centre where people can enjoy a coffee, beer or bite to eat. Well we’re righting that wrong. 

“The garden will be lush and overgrown, with loads of spaces to hang out. We want to create a really laid-back space for Manchester that embraces that European culture that the Gay Village has historically nailed.

“It’ll be a real draw for the existing community, as well as a space on the doorstep for those that’ll call Kampus home.”

KAMPUS will house 533 apartments in two new blocks, two heritage warehouses and the existing brutalist 60s tower, once home to Manchester Metropolitan University. The new neighbourhood will also feature a new square off Chorlton Street flanked by shops and cafes. The cobbled Little David Street will also be restored as a shop-lined alley, with outdoor seating.

Workers have already been on site for over 18 months, with the project currently on track to complete in 2020.

Adam Higgins, Capital & Centric said:

“Our site is almost a little forgotten part of the city. It’s so central to the city, right on the doorstep of Piccadilly and The Gay Village, but it’s been sat empty for years. By including heaps of communal space and greenery, we want to create a really exciting neighbourhood that captures peoples’ curiosity and draws them in.

“The area around Kampus is known and loved for its character and diversity and we want to embody that. So rather than chain restaurants and bars we’re talking to independent businesses that will create a unique and vibrant destination for residents and visitors.”

Published: 18-Oct-2018: (5108)