“We’ve aimed to create a building that feels distinctly contemporary while firmly rooted in Manchester’s character”
(Image: Hodder + Partners)
An ugly car park that dominated Manchester’s landscape is set to be replaced by skyscrapers celebrating an architectural gem.
The Charles Street multi-storey is set to be demolished under the £1.7b ‘Sister’ development plan for the university’s North Campus and replaced by a tower block. The part-38, part-10, and part-eight storey building will contain 1,041 student bedrooms and commercial units on the ground floor, developer RG Real Estate says.
Its white facades were inspired by nearby listed modernist icon, the Renold Building, with other elements nodding to the French renaissance-style Sackville Building around the corner, architect Stephen Hodder told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
“We’ve drawn inspiration from the area’s remarkable architectural heritage — including the railway arches, the designated heritage assets of Granby Row and Orient House, and the recently listed Renold Building,” he said.
“Its materiality evokes a memory of the former UMIST campus. Consideration of detail design, such as the perforations within the ventilation panels derived from terracotta detailing in the original Sackville Street building, seeks to make the building particular to its place.
(Image: Google Maps)
“In short, we’ve aimed to create a building that feels distinctly contemporary while firmly rooted in Manchester’s character.”
The plans, now open to public feedback, are the second major student accommodation scheme announced for Charles Street in a week.
More than 2,500 student rooms are planned to replace the university’s 528-bed Weston Hall residence and the 118-room Pendulum Hotel next door with four towers up to 50 storeys tall.
(Image: Hodder + Partners)
Both projects are part of a drive to move students closer to campus in-and-around the city centre and out of south Manchester suburbs, with Darren Simmons from RG Real Estate calling the area ‘one of the best locations’ for them.
He said: “This is one of the best locations in the city for purpose-built student accommodation: close to campuses of both The University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University, with city centre amenities on the doorstep. There is a sustained high demand for high-quality student accommodation in this part of the city centre and our proposal will help to address the undersupply; ensuring that Manchester can continue its growth and success.”