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Architects: Sheppard Robson
- Area: 5000 m²
- Year: 2011
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Photographs:Hufton+Crow
Text description provided by the architects. Marking the start of the pedestrian journey through the new Spinningfields quarter, the award- winning 1 The Avenue is pivotal in form and location, tying Manchester’s retail and business district with its civic core. The building was designed in response to its urban context and as a flagship mixed-use building. Armani occupies the ground and first floors, with a nightclub in the basement and boutique offices and a roof terrace above.
The scissor geometry of the building’s form responds to a duality of desire lines and is immediately apparent in the dramatic cantilever on to Deansgate. The angled upper storeys realign the east-west axis towards Hardman Square at the heart of Spinningfields, and the lower levels direct pedestrians towards the new entrance to the John Rylands Library. The trapezoidal form of the building’s plan is echoed in the vibrant glazing which animates the elevations and creates a unique experience inside the building. 1 The Avenue received a BREEAM Excellent rating and the building's regulated energy consumption is just 78KWhr/m²/yr.
