No.1 Hardman Street, Manchester

No.1 Hardman Street, Manchester

Sector:
Commercial
System:
Proteus HR, Proteus SC
Architect:
Levitt Bernstein

No.1 Hardman Street is located at the heart of Spinningfields in Manchester City Centre. This recently completed building provides 5 floors of office space and is a piece of contemporary architecture which sits comfortably alongside both its historic neighbours and the large glazed buildings of this commercial area. Being one of the smaller buildings of the Spinningfields redevelopment, the design seeks to maximise its visual impact and optimise the site.

With work complete by Eric Wright Construction in July 2014, and cladding sub-contractor Cover Structure Ltd, the distinctive external materials provide a strong visual identity.  The main building envelope consists of a simple black composite cladding panel with large window inserts, and a Proteus SC bespoke perforated aluminium white screen to the front half of the building. Openings of various sizes in the Proteus SC perforated screen create a pattern across the elevation which animates the façade as well as providing shading and screening to the window openings behind. At night the façade is illuminated within the cavity giving the building a colourful evening identity.

Although the façade looks very simple the screen is extremely technically challenging. Fine tolerances were required at the interface between cladding, window openings and structural floor edges, to ensure the main brackets were accurately set out to receive the precision manufactured panels. The Proteus SC perforated panels were then designed to span floor to floor, by the inclusion of an aluminium box section into the vertical edges of the panel. This design made the panels extremely heavy, and required early involvement of the sub-contractor to ensure a safe construction methodology while allowing the site operatives tolerance in the installation process.

At ground floor and around the parapet of the building, the insulated panels have been finished with a Proteus HR honeycomb rainscreen panel with a Rimex Colourtex Blue Pippin Patterned Stainless Steel. This finish subtly changes with varying light conditions. In bright sunlight, the Stainless Steel Panels seem to mirror the blue skies above, while in darker conditions, the appearance is similar to that of the simple black panel on the rear elevation.

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  • Perforated Aluminium Rainscreen Cladding
  • Perforated Aluminium Rainscreen Cladding
  • Perforated Aluminium Rainscreen Cladding