Media City

The University of Salford took 100,000 sq ft over four floors of a purpose-built block, designed by the Fairhursts Design Group, due to include broadcast, digital media, virtual laboratory, digital performance and creative spaces for use in teaching, project-based study and design located at the Quays on Salford’s waterfront, MediaCityUK has transformed this once derelict dockland into a significant media hub — home to the BBC, ITV, dock 10 and Salford University together with more than 200 media businesses. The scheme consists of a series of new public spaces — a large‑scale piazza with flexible performance spaces, an intimate media park, and a bustling boulevard all set adjacent to the waterfront.

The scale of this large public realm delivers a dramatic new landscape for the city and will be a catalyst for the regeneration of the surrounding area. The formerly imposing Ship Canal dock edge has been stripped away to create a grand south facing stepped terrace down to the water’s edge. Complementing the masterplan and the new architecture, the public realm has supported MediaCityUK’s achievement of becoming the first project in the world to receive a BREEAM ‘Communities Excellent’ accreditation.

The ambitious £1 billion expansion plans for Phase 2 are complete has doubled the size of the MediaCityUK development with the addition of ten new buildings, providing 540,000 square feet of Grade A office space, 1,800 new apartments, retail and leisure spaces together with an extensive new public realm.