Case Study: Carrington Training Centre, Manchester

26 Feb

Carrington Training Centre is the world-class training facility of Manchester United, recently transformed to deliver elite, high-performance environments for players and staff. The redevelopment focused on modernising facilities, enhancing wellbeing spaces, and elevating the overall architectural quality of the site.

Every element of the upgraded facility was designed to reflect excellence, precision, and performance at the highest level of professional sport.

Within such an environment, fire safety integration had to be seamless, intelligent, and uncompromising.

The Challenge

Elite sports facilities present a unique architectural and operational challenge.

The Carrington redevelopment introduced modern, open and collaborative internal spaces designed to foster performance, recovery, and team cohesion. These environments prioritised openness, natural flow, and premium finishes; all of which can be disrupted by traditional fire compartmentation solutions.

The design team required a system that would:

Deliver compliant fire and smoke compartmentation in line with BS 8524-1&2

Integrate within a high-specification interior

Avoid bulky shutters or intrusive barriers

Operate flawlessly in the event of an emergency

Align with the prestige and design integrity of a globally recognised brand

The Solution

To address this requirement, A1S Group supplied and installed the Flameshield 8524 S fire and smoke curtain.

Why the Flameshield 8524S Was Selected

1. Certified Performance to BS 8524
The Flameshield 8524S is independently tested and compliant with BS 8524-1&2, ensuring it meets the highest UK standards for active fire curtain barriers. This provided complete confidence to the project team in both regulatory alignment and life safety performance.

2. Concealed Architectural Integration
In a premium, high-profile environment such as Carrington, aesthetics matter. The Flameshield 8524S system is fully recessed into the ceiling void, maintaining uninterrupted lines and clean architectural finishes. When not deployed, it remains entirely out of sight.

3. Intelligent Deployment in Emergency Conditions
Activated automatically via the building’s fire alarm system, the curtain descends only when required, forming an effective fire barrier against fire and smoke. This enables open-plan spatial design without permanent visual obstruction.

4. Precision Engineering for High-Performance Environments
The Flameshield 8524S is engineered for reliability and controlled deployment, making it suitable for environments where safety and operational excellence are paramount.

5. Specialist Manufacturer Support
As the original manufacturer, A1S ensured the system was specified, installed, and commissioned in full coordination with the wider project team, maintaining programme efficiency and technical integrity.

Installation & Coordination

Working within an operational training environment requires discretion, efficiency, and meticulous planning. A1S coordinated closely with the site team to ensure minimal disruption and seamless integration with existing building services.

The installation was completed in line with programme requirements, with full commissioning and compliance documentation provided.

The Outcome

The installation of the Flameshield 8524S at Carrington Training Centre ensured compliant fire compartmentation without compromising the facility’s refined architectural finish.

The result is a space that: