Whatever it takes to make two-dimensional snowflakes of carbon, the National Graphene Institute sure seems to need to keep things cold. Deliveries of liquid nitrogen are a regular sight on my walking route onto campus.
I have never noticed before taking this picture what a masterly piece of architecture the National Graphene Institute is. The crane you see in this picture is not a reflection. In fact, it stands behind the building, which is therefore translucent in its upper portion. Graphene was discovered by Andre Geim here at Manchester by how it adhered to pieces of sticky tape used to clean graphite, and look — here are those pieces, lined up, black, translucent — just like graphene. It’s brilliant, actually.
As I’ve been saying for some years now it’s hard to point a camera anywhere in Manchester and not have a decent chance of capturing a building site. This particular one is being initiated by my employers at the University as the final piece (for now) in the “£1bn Campus Masterplan” as we must learn to call it. A massive new engineering building will rise here over the next couple of years, unless the whole economy tanks in the mean time of course. Which does not look as distant a project as it did a year ago.
As a few recent photos have suggested, we are entering a good time of year for dramatic skies. I like the NGI building, it somehow matches its main host substance — which I guess is the point, architecturally. Well, my employers have spent enough on it, so it’d better be good I suppose….
If it’s Monday, it is usually Manchester. I have three routes from station to office, and two of them pass this building, which is still being finished off. So it is likely to make more appearances on the blog yet (after having last appeared here, back in November).
The NGI is still under construction and is the building to the right of this image. The background is formed by the George Kenyon Hall of residence, which last appeared on the blog fairly recently, on day 1,133 (1/10/14).
Being 42 