AZ award-winning building officially opened

An award-winning £34m (Euro 50m) building, providing a new working environment for 750 office-based staff supporting AstraZeneca's global pharmaceuticals business, was officially opened at Alderley Park, Cheshire, UK on 31 October.

The ceremony was performed by John Patterson, AstraZeneca executive vice-president, product strategy and licensing, who is also president of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI). The event was attended by employees and by local dignitaries.

The building has been named Parklands, acknowledging the beauty of its natural park and woodland setting, and the opening was marked by the unveiling of a wooden sculpture.

The completion of Parklands forms part of the first phase of a major development programme for Alderley Park - the scale of which underlines the site's strategic position in the AstraZeneca global business. Alderley Park site general manager Will Spinks said: 'In the last two and a half years, AstraZeneca has invested over £200m here to support research and development of treatments for cancer, cardiovascular disease, inflammation and infection. These investments ensure that scientists joining us today can look forward to a long future of scientific discovery at Alderley Park, working in world-class facilities.'

John Patterson commented: "Alderley Park is the largest research and development facility in AstraZeneca, where a number of significant scientific breakthroughs were discovered. Many important medical treatments, which improved and prolonged patients' lives across the world, were developed here. As with other new laboratory and office facilities at Alderley Park, Parklands' design enhances interaction between disciplines, providing flexible open spaces and meeting areas to stimulate discussion and knowledge sharing.'

The quality of the design and functionality of the offices, achieved through a combination of Swedish and British architectural expertise, skilled workmanship and quality of materials, has been recognised by the recent presentation to the development team of the British Council for Offices' 2003 award for Corporate Workspace in the North of England, North Wales and Northern Ireland region.