With adaptive reuse at the heart of the designs, this scheme will provide a positive contribution to the character and context of the site, whilst also delivering a bespoke aparthotel for Cycas Hospitality BV in Manchester's vibrant Northern Quarter.
The existing 19th Century buildings fronting Oldham Street, which have been vacant for several years and fallen into disrepair, will be transformed to provide new and lasting purpose, revitalising the site and improving the area for local people. Responding to market demand, the development will complement the vibrant mix of businesses in the area whilst activating the street scene ad increasing footfall, encouraging pedestrians to pass through the wider Northern Quarter area.
The designs for the scheme include the retention and reuse of the existing 68 Oldham Street, partial retention, including the façade, of the existing 70 Oldham Street, conversion of an existing Victorian warehouse building with rooftop extension and a new building of 10 storeys (including ground floor) to create a new 117-bedroom aparthotel and flexible commercial uses.
The scheme's sensitive approach has ensured a design that retains the historic fabric of the area, which provides a continuity of materiality to respond to the character and texture of the surrounding buildings. Traditional details are referenced and reinterpreted in a contemporary context. These provide a continuity of detail, material, and craft that embeds the building in the site and context.
A limited palette of high-quality materials is used to articulate the volume surfaces and to reinforce the relationship with the retained existing buildings., and the character of the local area. The selected materials of red brick, white brick and zinc shingles are small scale, hand laid elements, which establish a direct reference to the hand-crafted textile industries that occupied the site and the specific area of the Northern Quarter.
The scheme is targeting a BREEAM 'Excellent' rating, reusing the existing buildings to contribute towards the city's zero-carbon targets. The retention of the existing buildings on the site, and their reuse and integration into the proposal provides notable benefits for reducing embodied carbon and minimising materials use, which will in turn provide benefits for materials sourcing and transportation, and the impact on the circular economy.