HKR Architects: The Hive, Stevenson Square, Manchester


The Hive: Lever Street view

Scheme description:
£11.5 million, 110,000 sq ft sustainable office building for Argent Group plc in the Northern Quarter.

Through HKR’s technical understanding of structures and services it has been able to co-ordinate the delivery of Grade A offices in a naturally ventilated building with a 3,375mm floor-to-floor height minimising the building volume and maximising the developer’s profit.


The Hive: Arcade image

Aimed at a new office market which is demanding more from its workspace – with respect to its environmental conscience, flexibility of tenancy, ability to personalise space without compromising on a city centre location – the proposed scheme forms part of a wider masterplan produced by HKR in early 2006 for two key sites adjacent to Stevenson Square. The design is sympathetic to the rich and varied buildings – many of them listed – and creative networks in the bohemian district of the city. The building successfully resolves the conflict between natural ventilation and sub-divisible speculative office space – a first for Manchester.

Contractor: Bardsley Construction

Completion: 2008



The Hive Manchester : HKR Architects

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The Hive Manchester: images/text from HKR Architects 151007

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The Hive Manchester - page : adrian welch / isabelle lomholt