Originally owned by the Greater Manchester Pension Fund, Island is now a joint-venture partnership with HBD delivering a Grade A office redevelopment.

The site is situated in a central Manchester conservation area and immediately adjacent to another, which calls for a careful and considered approach involving close liaison with Historic England. 

Island is set to have the ambience of a hospitality environment such as a hotel, giving residents an amenity-driven experience. With integrated food and beverage offering, regular events and a sense of seamless transition from one area to another, it will be very unlike a traditional and sterile new-build office.

The ambitious plans reflect the fact that the coronavirus pandemic has been reshaping our perceptions of work. Many people will be migrating to a hybrid working pattern, which involves both home and office. Others will set themselves up in third spaces, such as gyms and coffee shops. Island is designed to reflect these changes and provide a blended environment that suits the aspirations of future occupants.

As part of the process, a full size visual mock-up (VMU) of one of the pre-cast panels has been temporarily constructed on site, enabling the design team, client and the planners to review the materials against the existing context.

The assymetry in the facade is achieved with a relatively small number of different modules due to repetition of certain elements. Modules are replicated every two floors and mirrored on the alternate floors, resulting in four floors that are the same and brick piers in just two sizes.

We have also worked closely with Techrete to develop the sawtooth brickwork at the head of the window, ensuring the optimum solution is reached in terms of weight, panel and brick depth whilst achieving the desired pattern.

The image on this page shows how the panels slot together. By overlapping them like this, the vertical joints in the window reveals are concealed so that they are not prominent within the facade. The visibility of horizontal joints is also minimised by aligning them with breaks in the brick course.

These panels will be craned into place with the windows already installed, before being fixed internally at the head and base.As the quality assurance process happens within the factory and before the panels arrive on site, we can ensure the best possible finish and detailing. Seeing the mock-up panel at ground level and also from height (8 metres up in the air!) has also assisted us in agreeing the benchmark and QA process going forward. 

We are looking forward to the final panels being manufactured and installed on site!More generally, work is progressing well on site with the ground works and basement all on track.

Work on site is progressing nicely with the last of the development's pre-cast panels and curved glass, to each prominent approach, recently installed. 

These large expanses of glass open up the facades and allow views into and out of the building, helping to activate John Dalton Street and the newly pedestrianised Ridgefield - whilst also becoming key features of the building.

The fit out of Island is set to commence shortly, with occupants determining their own bespoke interiors, and due to complete in early Spring 2025.