Maths and Social Sciences Building

What secrets hide behind the brutalist façade of the Maths and Social Sciences Building? This imposing structure, part of the University of Manchester, stands as a testament to a bygone era. The Maths and Social Sciences Building, completed in 1969, was originally part of UMIST (University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology). It became part of the University of Manchester in 2004 when UMIST merged with Victoria University of Manchester. Designed by Cruikshank and Seward, the fifteen-story tower, reaching 50 meters high, was once the tallest building on the UMIST campus. Its unique design, featuring decorative towers at each end, sets it apart from other brutalist structures of the time. These towers, initially decorative, now serve a practical purpose, housing mobile phone antennae. The Maths and Social Sciences Building wasn’t just about aesthetics. It housed staff offices, teaching rooms, and even the Department of Mathematics on floors 10 through 14 (designated floors M to Q). The University of Manchester Regional Computer Centre (UMRCC) was located on J floor. The name itself, “Maths and Social Sciences Building”, reflects its diverse past. While mathematics held a prominent position, it also housed the Management Department, and later, the Department of Computation, which eventually split into the Schools of Computer Science and Manchester Business School. A two-floor annex connected to the ground floor provides tiered lecture theatres. The Maths and Social Sciences Building stands on historically significant ground. This location was once home to cramped terraced housing for factory workers. Friedrich Engels documented this area in his 1844 work, “The Condition of the Working Class in England”. The building’s journey took a turn in 2007 when the newly merged University of Manchester announced plans to sell it. The School of Mathematics moved to the Alan Turing Building that same year. Later, the School of Informatics also relocated. The Maths and Social Sciences Building found new life in 2015, becoming home to the Materials Science department. This was a temporary move while awaiting demolition of their old building. The Maths and Social Sciences Building stands as a silent observer of Manchester’s changing landscape. A blend of past and present, this concrete giant holds stories within its walls, whispering tales of numbers, theories, and the ever-evolving pursuit of knowledge.