Maths and Social Sciences Building
Encyclopedia
The Maths and Social Sciences Building is a highrise tower in Manchester
. It was part of the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST) until that university merged with the Victoria University of Manchester
, to form the University of Manchester
, in 2004.
The MSS Building was built in 1968, as part of the UMIST campus. Constructed from reinforced concrete
and designed by architects Cruikshank and Seward, it has fifteen stories and an overall height of 49 metres, making it the tallest building on the former UMIST campus. Unlike many Brutalist architecture on University campuses of that period, the building deviates from a purely cuboid outline with decorative towers at either end (now used as convenient locations for mobile phone antennae) and the floors up to the 10th being larger, which also breaks up the outline. The building was used largely for staff offices, with some teaching rooms. The 10th to 14th floors (called floors M-Q) accommodated the Department of Mathematics
. The "Social Sciences" in the building's name indicates that the building once housed the Management Department, but in recent years the Department of Computation occupied the lower floors of the building. They were to become the School of Informatics in the new University and have since been split between the Schools of Computer Science and Manchester Business School. An two floor annex to the MSS building connected to the ground floor houses tiered lecture theatres.
It was built on the site of cramped terraced housing that accommodated factory workers that was studied by Friedrich Engels
in his book The Condition of the Working Class in England in 1844
.
The new, merged University of Manchester
announced in June 2007 that it plans to sell the Mathematics & Social Sciences Building. In July 2007 School of Mathematics
relocated from MSS as well from the Ferranti building and the temporary buildings Newman and Lamb, to a new purpose designed Alan Turing Building
. Later in 2007 the staff of the former School of Informatics relocated, some of them to a the Lamb building vacated by the Mathematicians.
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
. It was part of the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST) until that university merged with the Victoria University of Manchester
Victoria University of Manchester
The Victoria University of Manchester was a university in Manchester, England. On 1 October 2004 it merged with the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology to form a new entity, "The University of Manchester".-1851 - 1951:The University was founded in 1851 as Owens College,...
, to form the University of Manchester
University of Manchester
The University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...
, in 2004.
The MSS Building was built in 1968, as part of the UMIST campus. Constructed from reinforced concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
and designed by architects Cruikshank and Seward, it has fifteen stories and an overall height of 49 metres, making it the tallest building on the former UMIST campus. Unlike many Brutalist architecture on University campuses of that period, the building deviates from a purely cuboid outline with decorative towers at either end (now used as convenient locations for mobile phone antennae) and the floors up to the 10th being larger, which also breaks up the outline. The building was used largely for staff offices, with some teaching rooms. The 10th to 14th floors (called floors M-Q) accommodated the Department of Mathematics
School of Mathematics, University of Manchester
The School of Mathematics at the University of Manchester is one of the largest mathematics departments in the United Kingdom, with around 80 academic staff and an undergraduate intake of roughly 400 a year and another 200 postgraduate students...
. The "Social Sciences" in the building's name indicates that the building once housed the Management Department, but in recent years the Department of Computation occupied the lower floors of the building. They were to become the School of Informatics in the new University and have since been split between the Schools of Computer Science and Manchester Business School. An two floor annex to the MSS building connected to the ground floor houses tiered lecture theatres.
It was built on the site of cramped terraced housing that accommodated factory workers that was studied by Friedrich Engels
Friedrich Engels
Friedrich Engels was a German industrialist, social scientist, author, political theorist, philosopher, and father of Marxist theory, alongside Karl Marx. In 1845 he published The Condition of the Working Class in England, based on personal observations and research...
in his book The Condition of the Working Class in England in 1844
The Condition of the Working Class in England in 1844
The Condition of the Working Class in England in 1844 is one of the best-known works of Friedrich Engels.Originally written in German as Die Lage der arbeitenden Klasse in England, it is a study of the working class in Victorian England. It was also Engels' first book, written during his stay in...
.
The new, merged University of Manchester
University of Manchester
The University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...
announced in June 2007 that it plans to sell the Mathematics & Social Sciences Building. In July 2007 School of Mathematics
School of Mathematics, University of Manchester
The School of Mathematics at the University of Manchester is one of the largest mathematics departments in the United Kingdom, with around 80 academic staff and an undergraduate intake of roughly 400 a year and another 200 postgraduate students...
relocated from MSS as well from the Ferranti building and the temporary buildings Newman and Lamb, to a new purpose designed Alan Turing Building
Alan Turing Building
The Alan Turing Building, named after the mathematician and founder of computer science Alan Turing, is a building at the University of Manchester, in Manchester, England. It houses the School of Mathematics, the Photon Science Institute and the Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics...
. Later in 2007 the staff of the former School of Informatics relocated, some of them to a the Lamb building vacated by the Mathematicians.