Alderley Park Mereside

Alderley Park’s Mereside campus has revitalised four connected buildings—Nos. 19, 22, 23, and 24—from an outdated in-ward facing traditional laboratory block into a dynamic, outward-facing community to support scientific innovation and encourage the cross fertilisation of ideas.

The redevelopment delivers state-of-the-art labs alongside world-class office space that is flexible and adaptable to suit a broad range of tenant needs, while connecting occupants to the robust support system of the Alderley Park campus.

Central to achieving the vision of this new dynamic cluster was the complete reconfiguration of the existing layout, replacing rigid separations and corridors in favour of a more natural transition through the floors, guided by the strategic placement of collaboration spheres. These spaces vary in the needs that they cater to, offering a range of areas geared towards teamwork, focused individual work, laboratory science, and public engagement space.

New entrances were introduced to improve permeability and interaction with the broader campus, and additional measures were taken to increase visual openness within the buildings and out towards the surrounding natural landscape. In addition to enhancing the overall liveliness and connectivity of the plot, the redevelopment delivers high-quality, ready-to-go lab spaces that are conducive to modern scientific needs.

The transformation of Alderley Park’s Mereside campus creates an inspiring and desirable environment for tenants. Key elements such as light stone and timber harmonize with the natural surroundings, and rich, warm finishes, complemented by block colours echo the local landscape and add depth and vibrancy to the spaces.

The use of these elements throughout the offices, amenities, and collaboration zones, ensures the spaces are not only visually engaging but also highly conducive to innovation and productivity. Through collaboration with existing tenants, various layouts were test-fitted to ensure that the proposed alterations considered a diverse array of needs and provided the maximum impact for future occupants.

A commitment to sustainability is woven throughout the redevelopment, aligning with Bruntwood’s net-zero goals and environmental priorities. Driven by a fabric-first retrofit approach, the project prioritised the reuse of the existing structures to minimize embodied carbon and reduce environmental impact. By retaining and enhancing the original building framework where possible, the project avoided the substantial carbon emissions associated with demolition and new construction.

This approach was complemented by carefully selected materials, including cradle-to-cradle certified products and UK-manufactured finishes, further reducing the carbon footprint of new elements. The retrofitted design also integrated energy-efficient systems and low-energy fittings, ensuring that sustainability remained at the core of the project while creating modern, high-performance spaces that meet the needs of the life science and technology sectors.