Kampus and the Future of City Centre Living

Four years in the making and with the sweet smell of completion finally in the air, Kampus is the eagerly anticipated result of a vision set to break the mould of city centre living.

It is is the brainchild of co-developers Capital and Centric and HBD Places. A £250 million project set over 450,000 square feet, located on the old MMU business campus next to the canal and across from Canal Street. Kampus is a concept born to create a brand new garden neighbourhood that will breathe life into this forgotten corner and capture the imagination of the city.

The project will house 533 apartments across 5 buildings all of different architectural styles.

North Block will be the first to open to residents with viewings starting in April. It will undoubtedly put it’s stamp on the Manchester skyline, with floor to ceiling pixel windows set in Lancashire red brick. Nestled on the rooftop of North block will be a separate village of Amsterdam inspired ‘Dutch houses’ The developers took trips to Amsterdam, Copenhagen and Chicago, cities lauded for their seamless blending of past and present, something integral to the Kampus spirit. They even brought on board Dutch architects Mekanoo to conceptualise this, Chapman Taylor then given the job of putting it into practice.

Other buildings within the project include the old Minto and Turner and Minshill Warehouses, and sixties brutalist beauty The Stack, which will showcase audacious original waffle ceilings. A ‘village hall’ called The Bungalow is located in a smaller brutalist building that sits on stilts and will host everything from pop-up restaurants to maker workshops. It has been fitted out with a high spec kitchen and will be available to hire for personal and private events.

At the heart of Kampus sits a canal-side garden, lush and deliberately wild. It will be open to non-residents and will be surrounded by around twenty independent businesses including bars, restaurants and coffee shops

Ancoats based designers Youth Studio were responsible for the interior design of the buildings. They worked to a complex brief that stated the importance of creating a sense of individuality present within the character of each building, whilst maintaining the unified theme of Kampus. Their goal was a focus on adaptability and functionality, keeping the delicate balance of cultivating design led spaces that do not overpower and are left open to interpretation.

It is unsurprising that Kampus will have more amenities than you can shake a stick at, the list is practically endless. Some of the most impressive being: a rooftop lounge, gym and yoga terrace, as well as bookable cinema and barbecue areas. There will also be a private rooftop dining room available for hire with staggering views of the city. A residents app will give access to a 24hr on site team that will be able to help with anything from handling the dry cleaning to walking the dog, because guess what? Pets are most definitely allowed.

There are 1-3 year tenancies available and no deposits are required.

With rental prices for one beds starting at £1125 pcm, a slice of utopia doesn’t come cheap, but what Kampus offers is our first insight into the community-focused future of city centre living which we think is as exciting as it is inspiring.