This distinctive building is Make’s second in the New Bailey masterplan in Salford, which aims to create a new commercial, retail and leisure destination along the River Irwell. Situated at the south-east of the site, overlooking the river and New Bailey Street, the 12-storey building occupies a prominent location and provides 200,000ft² of lettable workspace. Together with Make’s adjacent scheme to the north, it will serve as a gateway building to the development.
Our design draws on the rich industrial heritage of the area, in particular the engineered aesthetic of the Irwell Street bridge, whose steel cross-bracing inspired the building’s expressed diagrid structure. The ceramic spandrel panels, meanwhile, reference Salford’s esteemed history as a world leader in ceramic-making. The facade design creates a unique visual identity that will establish the building as a local landmark connecting Salford and Manchester.
At the main entrance on the south-west corner, the massing is carved out and the structural form cut away, creating a dramatic, cantilevered triple-height entrance with views towards Spinningfields – Manchester’s financial district – and its footbridge. At the upper levels the diagrid oversails the office floors, wrapping the roof terrace with a dramatic frame through which to view the city. The design aims to achieve BREEAM ‘Excellent’.
