The refurbishment of the Manchester Metropolitan University Students’ Union was undertaken to revitalise and clearly define its key social and service areas. The project had two central objectives: to create modern, welcoming environments that met the aesthetic and functional needs of a diverse student community, and to ensure delivery through a phased, carefully managed programme completed ahead of the new academic term.

From the outset, the Union’s existing layout presented operational challenges, with multiple functions combined within the same environment. The design strategy sought to address this by creating two distinct destinations: the Boundary Bar and the Café/Shop. Establishing strong individual identities for each improved usability and circulation, while also providing spaces that supported both day-to-day activities and vibrant student social life.

The works programme began with isolations and protective measures, followed by the relocation of furniture for reuse and the responsible disposal of redundant items. A structured strip-out removed the old back bar, dated electrical systems, and tired finishes. Doorways leading into the main hall were taken out, with openings infilled, skimmed, and decorated to form a more cohesive layout. The project team managed phasing carefully to allow trades to work concurrently, maintaining efficiency and minimising disruption to Union operations.

The Boundary Bar was reimagined as a traditional sports bar with its own identity, distinguished by a deep red tone that set it apart from surrounding areas while maintaining a link to the Union through subtle branding patterns. Greenmount Bespoke fabricated a range of tailored elements to maximise both functionality and atmosphere. These included L-shaped booth seating that optimised capacity, a darts housing featuring a bespoke fin with integrated Union branding to define the activity zone, and a redesigned back bar. The new back bar moved away from its former dual café/bar use, instead offering dedicated storage for drinks, glassware, and wine, along with interchangeable menu boards designed to be updated with live sports fixtures and promotions.

In contrast, the Café/Shop area embraced the Union’s yellow branding as a defining feature. The new café servery was designed with an industrial-style mesh frontage framed by perimeter LED lighting, creating a clear focal point and a memorable destination for new students. On the shop side, the till area was reduced in scale to free up valuable display space for stock, with consistent use of yellow branding to align the two functions. The existing flooring was stripped back to reveal the concrete beneath, which was cleaned and sealed to provide a durable surface consistent with the industrial design language.

Operational delivery extended beyond design interventions. Lighting was largely retained, with upgrades to bulbs and colour output rather than wholesale replacement, improving efficiency while complementing the refreshed interiors. Existing café appliances such as the dishwasher, coffee machine, and Merrychef oven were reused, supplemented with a new double-bowl sink to suit the revised layout. Mechanical and electrical commissioning was carried out to verify performance and compliance, and end-user training sessions ensured that Union staff were fully briefed on the operation of all new systems and equipment.