Sister
Putting nature first with SLA and Layer.studio
The SISTER regeneration area sits in a prime position in Manchester’s city centre: nestled east of the Oxford Road Corridor and west of Piccadilly station.
With heaps of potential, this site is being primed to become a green, biodiverse and community-focused neighbourhood delivering over 10,000 jobs and 1,500 new homes.
Creating a breathing ecosystem in a post-industrial city
SISTER presented a unique challenge and opportunity: to create a green, biodiverse, and community-focused space within a large-scale development, all while respecting and celebrating the site's rich heritage.
We collaborated with the globally renowned SLA in producing their first Manchester masterplan and scheme. We embraced a nature-led design approach, recognising the crucial role green infrastructure plays in creating thriving urban environments.
The SLA-Layer.studio partnership worked brilliantly: SLA produced the SISTER-wide landscape masterplan and led on developing the first plot, Plot C. We were brought on board to support SLA, providing technical advice and guiding them through the UK planning process to ensure compliance with policy, design and accessibility standards.
Embracing a ‘temporary landscape’ and tree nursery
he scale of the development demanded a bold vision. We sought to integrate nature within the built environment, creating a network of green spaces that connect the development to the wider city. The masterplan envisioned not just a collection of buildings, but a living, breathing ecosystem so we prioritised green corridors, created diverse habitats, and maximised opportunities for people to connect with nature.
We prepared a Townscape Visual Impact Assessment to understand sensitive views and inform landscape interventions to address identified impacts.
We supported a ‘temporary landscape’ that would adapt and evolve over time while the development unfolded in phases. We created temporary green spaces and tree and plant nurseries that could be easily adapted, replanted or repurposed as the development progresses. The nursery became a symbol of the project’s commitment to sustainability and biodiversity and allowed us to create immediate benefits while ensuring the long-term vision for the site remained flexible and climate resilient.
Landscape-led input at the strategic and plot-specific level
The SISTER project, seen through Plot C’s early delivery, is an example of how nature-led design can be integrated within large-scale urban development. By prioritising biodiversity, respecting heritage, embracing the concept of temporary landscape, and engaging the community, we aimed to create a place that’ is not only beautiful but functional and climate resilient.
Since our work on Plot C, we’ve been appointed to lead on landscape design at Plot H. Plot C and Plot H function like bookends to the SISTER masterplan area and will be key entrance points for pedestrians. Our input has made sure these spaces will function as green stepping stones into the wider regeneration area. Whether working at the strategic level, through our overseeing role for Bruntwood, or at the plot-specific scale, we’re helping deliver key elements of SISTER’s vision.
