THE Chamber of Commerce has revealed the 2015 contenders for Building of the Year in Greater Manchester.
It's a bumper year for the University of Manchester, which bags half of this year's nominations
The shortlist comprises six buildings old and new, with the chosen structure taking up the mantle from last year’s winner Manchester Central Library. The award celebrates all things innovative and inspirational in Mancunian architecture (and, this year, the pointless too - Ed).
The much coveted prize could go to a brand new building or equally, a long-standing landmark that has been reconstructed for the better, as demonstrated with last year’s victor.
It's a bumper year for the University of Manchester, which bags half of this year's nominations with The Whitworth, NGI and Manchester Cancer Research Centre.
THE SHORTLIST:
MANCHESTER CANCER RESEARCH CENTRE - Withington - Capita Symonds
Opened in June, the new £28.5m cancer research centre will 'help to save thousands of lives', according to facility director Prof Nic Jones. The state-of-the-art, 6000 sq m University of Manchester centre, located opposite The Christie on Wilmslow Road in Withington, houses around 150 scientists from the university, Cancer Research UK and The Christie NHS Foundation Trust - more here.
Manchester Cancer Research CentreSOAPWORKS - Salford Quays - ShedKM Architects
Formerly known as the Colgate-Palmolive factory, the £70m Soapworks redevelopment has a faithful design which retains key original features from its former incarnation. Award-winning architects ShedKM have created a modern, sleek new office space on the burgeoning area between the city centre and Media City, featuring raised floors, vast floorplates and full height glazing with riverside views.
SoapworksTHE NATIONAL GRAPHENE INSTITUTE - University of Manchester - Jestico + Whiles
Opened by Chancellor George Osborne in March, the NGI is the UK centre of ground-breaking research into the 2D 'wonder material' (first discovered at The University of Manchester in 2004). The Institute cost £61m to build and boasts, over five floors, almost 8000 sq m of laboratories and 1500 sq m of clean room space - making it the world’s largest graphene-dedicated academic space.
NGIVICTORIA STATION - City Centre - BDP
The five year £44m redevelopment of Manchester's Victoria Rail Station has been fraught, knitting as it has a main rail line, a Metrolink system, a gargantuan concert arena and countless heritage assests overseen by the fastidious English Heritage. The jury is still out on the project's 'bubble roof', which some detractors have claimed looks like 'cloudy bubblewrap' due to ethylene tetrafluoroethylene panels instead of glass. Still, from the inside the new station is a thing of wonder - more here.
Victoria under constructionTHE WHITWORTH - Oxford Road - MUMA
The bookies favourite having already bagged the RIBA North West Building of the Year 2015 in April and the much-coveted Museum of the Year award in July. As re-imagined by MUMA with twice as much display space the new Whitworth combines verve and subtlety. It is a splendid place to walk around and enjoy art, one that talks to the surrounding environment in Whitworth Park - more here.
The Whitworth - celebrating alreadyTHE LINK BUILDING (aka Leese's Folly) - St Peter's Square - Ian Simpson
On 31 March Confidential published an April Fools story in which the £3.5m Link Building (which has been called 'ridiculous', 'pointless', 'a waste of money', 'ugly' and even 'Sir Richard Leese's folly' after the Council Leader who presided over its erection) scored an architectural award for the production 'of a contained glass vessel that has no clear practical use'. And would you believe it, the Link Building has actually been nominated for an architectural award. No really. You couldn't make it up. Well, I suppose we did. Anyway, you can read our thoughts on Library Walk and the 'Scream Gates' here.
The Link under constructionChairman of the chamber’s property and construction committee Steve Burne says: "This competition aims to celebrate not only the new, innovative and inspirational buildings that are constructed in our region, but also the successful collaborations that take place between talented project teams in our industry and their clients. The final six buildings also make a significant contribution to our city region.”
Now in its eleventh year, previous winners have included Rochdale's Number One Riverside, Manchester's People's History Museum and Tameside's Ashton Market.
The Committee, which consists of twelve professionals from a range of businesses in the property and construction sector, will be undertaking site visits over the next few weeks before making its final decision.
The winner will be announced at a special dinner at the Hilton Deansgate on 12 November.
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