The nine Greater Manchester properties in the running for ‘UK’s best building’ in 2024
Nine properties across Greater Manchester are in the running for the ‘best building in the UK’. Each year, The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) hosts its regional awards, which are judged and presented locally, to recognise and celebrate great architectural designs across the UK.
The contenders are chosen from different areas, no matter the ‘form, size, or budget’, and this year there are nine buildings that have been recognised in the Greater Manchester region. A 19th century cotton mill, a ‘Jenga’ hotel and the renovation of a Grade-II listed music venue which hosted The Rolling Stones are amongst the 13 projects shortlisted for the RIBA North West Awards 2024.
RIBA’s north west jury chair Katy Marks said:“This year’s shortlist reflects growing ambition to build a Northern Powerhouse. It’s also particularly heartening to see an investment in designing high-quality learning and healthcare environments, which deliver on social and economic benefits for future generations.”
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Katy added: “From the reinvention of a 200-year-old cotton mill into a residential community, to the sensitive retrofit of an iconic music hall which laid abandoned for years, these projects are underpinned by a desire to restore and celebrate the industrial character of the North and deliver buildings which enhance people’s lives.”
The Greater Manchester projects that have been shortlisted for the prestigious architectural award are:
Crusader Works, Manchester
Crusader Works by award-winning architects shedkm and developers Capital&Centric has been shortlisted for the regional award. The 19th century cotton mill off Chapeltown Street was lovingly restored into 123 one and two-bedroom apartments – each unique with its own quirks.
The architects retained many of the original features in the 200-year-old building, with apartments featuring exposed brick, cast-iron columns, timber beams, high ceilings and huge windows that soak the apartments in light.
The development features a residents’ garden in the centre, complete with fire pits and BBQs. Capital&Centric says: “Crusader is for people who value texture, space and something that’s not simply a white box.”
Mustard Cowork at Little Underbank, Stockport
Kelsall Architects created a contemporary, authentic co-working space out of a ‘derelict, dilapidated’ building in the heart of Stockport, and it has been recognised in the RIBA awards.
The architects said: “Working on a Listed Building brings its own challenges, but this is far outweighed by the gift of character and history it gives back. Our approach to the interior design is to expose, repair and celebrate the existing features and materials, while any new additions are starkly minimal and contemporary by contrast.”
Leonardo Hotel, Manchester
Dubbed the ‘Jenga’ hotel, the Leonardo Hotel is amongst the Greater Manchester buildings in the running for the north west award. Designed by stephenson hamilton risley STUDIO, the white building blocks sit at a prime site on Great Ancoats Street.
After an 18-month build, the hotel is now welcoming its guests into its sleek and stylish space. The architect says: “This hotel project is part of a wider masterplan and has been designed to engage with the new neighbouring buildings as well as make a dramatic contribution to Manchester’s inner ring road.
“The design accommodates 275 bedrooms, meeting rooms, a large ground floor restaurant and back of house areas. The façade incorporates a number of projecting planters in an attempt to green the city.”
New Century, Manchester
New Century, an iconic Manchester music venue, has been updated and brought back to life by architects Sheppard Robson and is now being recognised in the RIBA regional awards.
The architects said: “Since its construction in 1963 for the Cooperative Wholesale Society, the well-renowned New Century Hall has played host to many famous names in music. After laying mostly vacant for years, the 1,000-capacity venue has had a much-needed transformation through our work with interior designer Sheila Bird Studios.
“Several key interventions were made to open up the Grade II-listed structure; as a result, despite being occupied over three floors, the music venue, food hall and creative college are able to work together seamlessly.”
The Manchester College, City Campus, Manchester
The City Campus at The Manchester College has also been shortlisted for the north west architectural award. Designed by Bond Bryan and SimpsonHaugh the aim for the new city campus was to create a ‘Centre of Excellence’ for higher and further education students, as well as forming an important part of the continuing regeneration of Manchester.
David Green, Partner at SimpsonHaugh, said: “We were thrilled to be deliver a new education facility in the heart of Manchester City Centre. The building’s innovative teaching space, performances spaces, creative studios and training facilities will be key to creating a distinctive sense of place for the new neighbourhood which is developing around Great Ducie Street.”
The Old School House, Bolton
The Old School House, designed by Nick Moss Architects, is also up for RIBA’s north west award. Found in the Bradshaw Chapel Conservation Area of Bolton, it is a striking example of breathing new life into a neglected building.
The architects said: “After the school ended in 1966, the building went through a series of incarnations- Dave’s Aquarium, a Beefeater restaurant and then sadly, once abandoned, a haven for vandals, fire setters and fly tippers. Purchased by Panda Capital in 2017, plans were then set in motion to turn the site into a residential development.
“Nestling in an established natural environment complete with mature trees and its own fishing pond, the original 19th Century building has been converted into a mix of 14 bespoke duplexes and first-rate apartments, all for the private rental market.
“It’s been a privilege to work on such a meaningful project and produce a scheme that’s appealing, modern and highly sustainable but entirely compatible with much-loved existing buildings.”
The School of Science, Engineering and Environment (SEE), University of Salford
The University of Salford’s School of Science, Engineering and Environment building is also in the running for the regional award. Forming part of the Salford Crescent and University District’s wider masterplan, the facilities include collaborative work spaces and accommodation for students studying architecture, physics, aeronautical, civil, electrical, and mechanical engineering studies.
The architects Sheppard Robson said: “To meet the needs of current and future building users, we created a flexible building that supports a variety of teaching spaces. The new 15,300sqm, four-storey SEE Building includes a shared maker-space, flexible STEM and laser laboratories, staff offices, specialist teaching and research environments.”
WaterSHED, Wardle Academy, Rochdale
Designed by architects BDP, Wardle Academy’s new school building in Rochdale is up for the RIBA north west award. The ‘WaterSHED’ building has transformed a redundant sports hall on the school grounds into a ‘test-bed for new forms of teaching and learning.’
Mark Moorhouse, chief executive at Watergrove Trust commented: “Retaining and improving the existing structure and using the most natural, sustainable materials, this is a truly imaginative reuse of an old school building that would have otherwise been demolished.
“Manchester-based architects from BDP took a low carbon approach to the expansion of the hall, adding roof lights and natural ventilation to create a bright and comfortable environment, creating two flexible classrooms, a design technology studio, and a café area that will also be used for informal learning and events.. It feels like a great place to be, a great place to learn and gives all the pupils something to be proud of.”
The Lincoln, Manchester
Designed by Jon Matthews Architects, this new office in Deansgate has been shortlisted for the regional awards. The 150,000 square foot building is located on Lincoln Square and has the frontage of St Mary’s, a Grade II listed 18th century church, where a new public space has been created.
The four other projects that have been shortlisted for the north west awards are; Copperas Hill Student Life and Sports Building at Liverpool John Moores University by Sheppard Robson, The Alder Centre in Liverpool by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris, Shakespeare North in Knowsley by Helm Architecture and Austin-Smith: Lord and Langdale in Cumbria by Mary Arnold-Forster Architects.
All projects that have been shortlisted for RIBA’s Regional Awards will be visited by a regional jury, and the winning projects will be announced later this spring.
The winners will then be considered for several RIBA Special Awards, including the RIBA Sustainability Award and RIBA Building of the Year, before being considered for a highly coveted RIBA National Award, which will be announced in summer.
The shortlist for the RIBA Stirling Prize – the UK’s best new building – will be drawn from the RIBA National Award-winning projects, and announced in September. The Stirling Prize winner will be announced in October.
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