Saturday 12 December 2009

Manchester's Boom


"Manchester's Museum of Science and Industry" Buttress Fuller Alsop William Copyright

This week has seen an extraordinary amount of new building details emerge throughout the city of Manchester. From the previously reported Gateway House Competition to Sheppard Robson's new MMU Hulme Campus design. Also is the news that Buttress Fuller Alsop Williams' design for Manchester's Museum of Science and Industry, which had previously been designed by Manchester School of Architecture's very own former head of school David Dernie, however the £58million project lost funding and as a result the design was scrapped.

"Tameside College" Aedas Copyright

Aedas this week submitted plans for a new Building for Tameside College in Ashton-under-Lyne, the design provides the college with 2,800sqm of space and is hoped to become a vibrant educational facility.
Bennett Architects Copyright

Two master plans were also revealed this week. Bennett's released images depicting their plans for a new Civil Servant district, next to Picadilly Station. It's purpose enforces the vastly growing presence of Manchester as a Capital of the North, and the beginning of it's London like expansion, which includes Salford's Media City and the growing city centre.

"MMU Community Campus" Sheppard Robson Copyright

The second master plan is Sheppard Robson's MMU Community Campus within the heart of Hulme. Student Accommodation and a major public space will be included, and the design hopes to create a new vibrant area out of the somewhat disheartened Hulme area.


Hodder + Partners Copyright


Stephen Reinke Copyright

The final piece of news regards the illustrious Gateway House that sits right outside Picadilly Station, earlier this year we reported of a competition for a redesign of the building. A shortlist has now appeared, and the two final Architects in the running are Stephen Reinke Architects and Hodder + Partners. Reinke have chosen to be fairly brutal with the existing unlisted building, their proposal would strip back a hefty amount of the original building for it's design, however Hodder's design is slightly more gracious to Gateway House, their design adds a new look facade, whilst keeping the building's flowing form.

All of this news helps to promote the expansion of Manchester as a truly modern city, and a leader in the growth of the United Kingdom.