New Skyscraper Proposed For Manchester

New Skyscraper Proposed For Manchester


Arca Architects have filed a planning application with Salford City Council for the latest version of their twin tower Canopus scheme that they have been working on for local developer, BSC.

The two tower development contains 50,000 square metres of space spread over them and the lower-rise buildings. The towers stand at 46 and 31 floors respectively and the tallest is 164 metres high offering a penthouse level that's an impressive 155 metres above ground.

Facing on to a public square with slender profiles, the buildings stand above glazed triple height ground levels giving a lighter contrasting look with their solid bulk. Heavily modernist, they utilise concrete on the non-windowed section, a difficult material to use in British weather if not sand-blasted.

Windows feature heavy solar shading in the form of rectangular vertically stretched brown coloured panelling that forms diagonal patterning up the sides. These gazed sections occupy the majority of each side of the two towers and alongside the concrete sections create competing visual areas that accentuate the slimness.

Arca are clearly determined to depart from the usual materials of glass and steel and reference the older tall buildings in Manchester that use plenty of concrete whilst still trying to create a fashionable building.

Likely to be of some issue with the planners are the blank elevations that are barely broken up, particularly on one of the lower-rise buildings that faces directly on to the public plaza.

Arca's plans mark the latest chapter in the history of this site, known as Greengate ever since we revealed early plans for a tall building here back in the day. It has been experiencing a series of designs from BSC for some time starting in 2004 when their in-house architects came up with a concept for an eco-tower with wind turbines.

This was then dumped for Arca's designs in 2005 that bore a resemblance to what's now proposed. The tallest of these however was only 32 floors. The next step in this evolution has seen this increased what is proposed today.

If built it will be the third tallest building in Manchester after the Beetham Tower and the soon to begin Eastgate Tower. Let's hope this one gets quicker off the ground than BSC's permanently under-ground-work, Sarah Tower.

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