HKR Architects: Chancery Place, Booth Street, Manchester

Scheme description:
£20 million, 150,000 sq ft, 15 storey development located in the Upper King Street Conservation Area.


Booth Street View

14 May 2008
HKR’S CHANCERY PLACE DEVELOPMENT TOPS OUT

The roof of Manchester’s latest landmark office building, designed by international architecture practice HKR, has been reached - marking the official ‘topping out’ of the 15-storey Chancery Place development.

Manchester City Council’s chief executive Sir Howard Bernstein marked the occasion by laying the last batch of concrete on the very top of the £21 million, high-rise which is being built in the heart of the city’s commercial district. Old Trafford based construction company John Sisk & Son Ltd are building the development for Chancery Place Developments Ltd. The project management is being overseen by Jones Lang LaSalle who is also joint agents with Savills, on the scheme.

Phil Doyle, director at HKR, the award-winning architecture practice says: “Seeing Chancery Place ‘top out’ less than eighteen months from receiving planning permission is a great achievement for the whole team that have worked on the project. Whilst the 15 storey fully glazed design is already making a significant impact, we are eagerly awaiting the installation of the double storey glass fins which crown the building and will create a new landmark on the city’s skyline.”

Sir Howard Bernstein adds: “Chancery Place is another highly visible sign of investor confidence in Manchester as a great place to do business. It underlines our commitment to quality design and will provide a prestigious addition to the city's already strong office market."

The striking glass-fronted building has been built on a unique wedge-shaped island site, which had previously been unoccupied for 10 years. It provides a mix of retail and office space, as well as two-and-a-half levels of basement car parking.


Roof Garden image

“The topping out of Chancery Place marks a major milestone in the construction of this flagship new development, which will be an iconic building for the city’s business community,” says Darren Beale, John Sisk & Son regional director.

Despite covering just 0.2 acres of land the building houses 102,000 sq ft of commercial space. Each floor can provide 7,750 sq ft of net lettable area. To increase the commercial appeal of the building further, each floor has been designed so that they can be divided into two separate tenancies if required.

Conor O'Gallagher from developer Chancery Place Developments, says: “Witnessing the final pour of concrete being made marks a major stage in the development of Chancery Place. We are very confident it will appeal to local and international companies wishing to establish themselves in a truly unique Grade A office building in Manchester.”

The next phase of work will see John Sisk & Son completing the installation of the glazed façade, along with the fitting out of the building.

Work on the overall building is due to complete this autumn.

Chancery Place Tower Manchester: text from HKR Architects 140508



Previous Release, 15 Oct 2007:

Having only taken CPDL an impressive four months from buying the site to getting the go-ahead from the planners, the striking building in the heart of the commercial district, will consist of 12 full upper floors of high quality office space on a unique wedge-shaped island site, which had previously remained dormant for over 10 years prior to its acquisition.

Although it has a relatively small footprint – by ‘overhanging’ the pavement – each floor can provide 7,750 sq ft of net lettable area, potentially commanding in excess of £30.00 per sq ft on the upper floors. A single core solution helps to reduce the number of columns which provides flexible options to potential occupiers, as do two storeys of basement car-parking and bicycle space, a ground floor main entrance reception, ground floor (A1-A3) retail opportunities and roof-top plant. The elevations will be full-height glazed curtain wall system acting as a foil to the historical Victorian surroundings, and enabling maximisation of natural day light on the floor plates alongside great views out. The top of the building is crowned by two storey high vertical glass louvres, which provide environmental control to a roof level garden and the final office floor, whilst providing an appropriate architectural ‘top’ to the building.

Contractor: SISK UK

Completion: August 2008

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CIS Tower Manchester

building photo © Adrian Welch 2006

Beetham tower



Chancery Place Manchester: images/text from HKR Architects 151007

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