RCA appointed to design Smith+Nephew facility

Sheffield-based architectural practice Race Cottam Associates (RCA) has been appointed to design Smith+Nephew’s new R&D and manufacturing facility for Advanced Wound Management near Hull.The global medical technology business, which was founded in Hull in 1856, confirmed earlier this year that it would be relocating to a 25-acre site at Melton West Business Park, about eight miles from its current site at Daltry Street.The listed company is set to invest more than £80m building the new facility, which will create a world class R&D, manufacturing and flexible office environment.RCA has been appointed as full project architect, following a competitive tender process.RCA director Laurie Cottam said: “This is an extremely significant win for our practice, and we are looking forward to working with the Smith+Nephew team to develop what will become a flagship centre for the business in the UK.”Manufacturing facilities of this scale and complexity require extensive collaboration and specialist technical knowledge, which we’re proud to have established on facilities across the UK for similar blue-chip clients including further along the East Coast in Hull for Siemens.”We’re excited to commence working with Smith+Nephew and designing a facility that will further cement their legacy in the region.”Paul Butler, programme director at Smith+Nephew, added: “Not only did RCA demonstrate considerable expertise delivering large scale manufacturing facilities and research laboratories, but their team strongly understood the significance of our relocation.”As a practice which also has longstanding regional roots, we felt there was a positive synergy between the two businesses and were confident this would translate into a world leading facility.”Smith+Nephew’s new 323,000 sq ft facility is expected to open in 2024.