How our customers are shaping Manchester according to Architects’ Journal

The latest edition of Architects’ Journal focuses on Manchester, the city at the heart of the North West’s economic transformation. Planner and author Euan Kellie delved into his photo archive to look at the scale of changes in the city and assess how far we’ve come.

The city’s skyline has changed beyond recognition in the last 15 years, and our projects play a starring role.

From the Dalton Building to St Michaels, and One Port Street to Elizabeth Tower, we’re proud to have anodised elements of each one and delighted to see this work get the spotlight it deserves!

Dalton Building, the RIBA North West Building of the Year

The Dalton Building is the University of Manchester’s new faculty of science and engineering. The £65m project from BDP covers 36,000 sqm and has been described as a ‘significant academic and civic anchor’, with a ‘confident urban presence’.

It is also now a landmark on Manchester’s urban street scene. At the centre of that is its striking façade. Featuring our Regency Gold anodised aluminium finish, the Dalton Building is an exquisite building which fully deserves its award-winning status.

Read more about this outstanding building here.

St. Michaels

St Michael’s is one of the biggest developments in Manchester and is arguably changing the heart of the city centre more than any other new scheme. It is a mixed-use site containing offices, a hotel, restaurants and a public square. Rising to 43 storeys at its highest point, this is a landmark building for Manchester.

It is clad in Anolok® Bronze anodised aluminium which gives the building a classic, elegant look. The anodised finish catches the light throughout the day and shines above the city, offering a modern counterpoint to the older Listed buildings surrounding it.

One Port Street

This new residential tower just off Great Ancoats Street is the tallest building in the area and likely to become the start of a new series of towers in the Ancoats/Northern Quarter area. It rises 33 storeys at its highest point and cuts an elegant figure on the skyline.

It also includes a smaller podium level which combines brickwork and anodised aluminium to stunning effect. Our anodised colours were used to ensure that the modern aluminium elements responded to the traditional brick and terracotta of the nearby built environment – fitting in while also updating the vernacular of the area.

Elizabeth Tower at Crown Street

Crown Street is a premium residential development in Manchester's emerging skyscraper district. Rising above Manchester to a height of 21 storeys, Elizabeth Tower's striking modular façade is characterised by more than 7,000 panels, each assembled as part of a high-performance, unitised system.

The anodised finish was delivered to the demanding Z33 standard, ensuring each visible aluminium surface met strict durability and consistency requirements. The building features Anolok^® Blue-Grey B715 perforated anodized metal sheets with a specific pattern, and solid Anolok^® 545 Dark Umber panels.

Read more about this stunning development here.

Anodised aluminium for Manchester developments

Successful cities never stand still, and Manchester changes faster than most. As the city becomes even more prominent in the coming years, we are excited to see how it continues to grow – and play our own role in that growth by supplying premium anodised finishes for Manchester architects and developers.

Contact our team and request a free sample today to see for yourself.