Maple’s innovative LED-lit perforated panel façade has helped Manchester Metropolitan University’s School of Digital Arts (SODA) win a RIBA North West Award for 2023. /
The awards recognise buildings of architectural significance and take place within each region before the national awards.
It’s the second year-in-a-row that a Maple project has claimed a RIBA award, after our brise soleil system on the Welcome Building at RHS Garden Bridgewater was singled out in 2022.
The judges called the SODA building ‘unique’ and praised the way the project was delivered with a ‘clear vision and to a high standard’.
More than 3,000 sq m of rainscreen cladding covers the exterior of the five-storey building, with a series of perforated panels accommodating LED lighting that can be programmed to create spectacular displays.
SODA was officially opened in June 2022 by Oscar-winning film director Danny Boyle. The building represents a £35m investment into the next generation of creative content by bringing together disciplines including animation, UX design, photography, sound design, gaming, and AI.