The Renold Building Circular Workplace Design at the Heart of Manchester’s Innovation District
The Renold Building, Innovation Hub, Sister Manchester for Bruntwood Scitech
95% of the furniture and fittings in The Renold Building have been reused or upcycled. Lecturer’s desks have become benches and tables, fluorescent tubes have been transformed into sculptural lighting, and 896m² of original timber flooring has been retained and re-integrated. Even library countertops have found a second life as tables with criss-cross scaffolding legs.
This approach to re-use and reinvention sits at the core of SpaceInvader’s refurbishment of The Renold Building for Bruntwood SciTech, part of Sister, Manchester’s £1.7bn innovation district. Once the UK’s first purpose-built lecture theatre, this brutalist landmark has been transformed into a sustainable innovation hub for researchers, entrepreneurs, and start-ups tackling some of the world’s most pressing challenges.
Our brief was clear: reimagine the building’s interiors with sustainability and adaptability at their heart. By re-using 95% of the fit out, repurposing demolition waste, and retaining significant areas of original fabric, we created interiors that are low-carbon, flexible, and full of character.
“Through a considered refurbishment, we sought to honour the heritage of The Renold Building and its new purpose to showcase innovation, while also acting as an exemplar project for sustainability and the circular economy within design.
To create a space that resonates with the soul of the city, we have drawn inspiration from Alan Turing and his great invention, the pattern and connectivity associated with molecular engineering, and, whilst so doing, have embraced sci-tech Manchester, as well as Manchester’s arts and design scene. These elements are an intrinsic part of Manchester’s cultural DNA, which reverberate throughout the interior in the form of strong graphics, colour blocking and the embracing of the existing architecture.”
Circular design isn’t just about saving materials, it’s about proving that interiors can be both responsible and visionary. The Renold Building shows how a workplace can support innovation and wellbeing while dramatically reducing environmental impact.
Working closely with Bruntwood SciTech and the wider project team, SpaceInvader delivered a scheme rooted in flexibility and regeneration. The result is an environment that respects the building’s heritage while supporting the next generation of innovators in Manchester.
For more detail on the project — including our Seven-Point Sustainability Plan and the design stories behind the re-use of materials, visit our full case study: The Renold Building