Henry Royce Institute Research Laboratories

The Henry Royce Institute is one of the world’s leading institutions for advanced material science research and innovation. In 2021, the Institute opened a new campus at the University of Manchester, featuring laboratories on nine floors, totaling 5,000m².

The Institute’s design, created by NBBJ Architects, embodies a “science on show” approach.  Laboratories reveal their complex workings to those on the outside, alongside spaces for visitor engagement and imaginative displays of research material and products.

SB Labs have previously worked on 15 different projects for the University of Manchester, including the National Graphene Institute, completed in 2015. For the Henry Royce Institute, we manufactured and installed bespoke laboratory furniture, using two of our most popular lab bench systems, the Exemplaire C frame and Exemplaire Column. Both systems combining heavy duty functionality with attractive contemporary styling, while facilitating mobile push-under storage cabinetry.

All the laboratory worktops are made of Trespa® TopLab® PLUS, to provide resistance against a long list of aggressive chemicals, as the labs at the Henry Royce Institute have to accommodate different types of science, from nano printing to advanced material testing.

It also provides a high load-bearing capability much needed for the SB Labs workstations, consisting of heavy-duty steel construc­tion and designed to bear loads of up to 400kg.

The Henry Royce Institute at the University of Manchester is an excellent example of how to create laboratory spaces that not only meet the high demands of scientific research but also added to the overall design aesthetic of the building.