Wednesday, 30th May 2007
Prisms divide opinion
Jill Burdett
PRISMS: The Origin schemeWORK has started on Origin, one of the most controversial new schemes in Manchester city centre.
Designed by Ian Simpson Architects, the Princess Street building with the three glass prisms has divided opinion, with some people loving them while others feel they are an intrusion in the red brick and stone of the Canal Street conservation area.
Either way they will have a dramatic impact on the area, bringing 180 new apartments in an 18-storey tower called The Source, new office space in The Bureau and a 210-bed boutique hotel around landscaped gardens that will link Whitworth Street with the canal.
The buildings were originally higher but downsized by 10 storeys after protests from residents who said it was overbearing and out of keeping with one of the most famous areas in the city. The site is currently an open car park and the apartment building will front Whitworth Street, with the office building onto Princess Street and the hotel on Canal Street.
The developers are West Properties, the company that likes to add a twist to their build-to-let schemes, such as a 20th floor swimming pool at Skyline Central on Rochdale Road or the rooftop hot-tub and gym at Lumiere.
Their wow factor at Origin will be a 17th floor gym and a single penthouse that will take up the entire 18th floor. They are also spending around £1million on the public space between the buildings. Their approach is to design, build, sell, let and manage their buildings with a loyal band of investors, but they also retain about half the apartments in each building themselves.
Chief executive Donal Mulryan, said: “It’s an amazing location and represents a fantastic opportunity. We had to come up with something bold to do it justice – I think we have done just that.”
Expect more of the same to come. They have just bought the site of the Ramada Hotel at the bottom end of Deansgate and are again working with Mr Simpson.
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