Manchester New Square, Manchester

The proposed development consists of three high quality multi-storey buildings constructed over an existing 4-storey piled basement structure, reckoned to be the deepest basement construction in Central Manchester. The scheme includes three high quality residential buildings with heights of 15, 14 and 12-storeys, including ground floor retail and restaurant space overlooking a central public landscaped space. The scheme will create a vibrant development that complements the area’s historic context and sensitively reconnects the site to its surroundings including the Rochdale Canal.

A very complex 4-storey basement, which is reckoned to be the deepest basement construction in Central Manchester, located adjacent to the Rochdale Canal.

RoC have played a key role in driving efficiency of the building frame. Significant effort and close coordination between the structure and developing unit layout has removed costly transfer structures and minimised modification to the basement, without compromising residential unit layout and restricting ground floor retail space.

The existing basement, once the deepest in Manchester constructed utilising a hybrid of conventional and “top down” construction techniques, is to be retained as part of the new development proposals. RoC have played a leading role in investigation and assessment of the basement structure to allow its incorporation into the scheme.

Developing the existing basement to suit the new building proposal has brought with it many challenges and close coordination with the architect SimpsonHaugh has proven invaluable. Innovative construction methods have been explored, however in the end most of the works involved simplistic and clever engineering coupled with good planning of the building layout to work with the existing structural grid and minimise structural modification of the inherited structure.

A new scheme has been developed with SimpsonHaugh to RIBA Stage 3 with design now proceeding through RIBA Stage 4. The project recommenced during 2017.