The Factory Manchester Building, New Arts Venue, Architect, Theatre, St John’s Quarter, Planning

The Factory Manchester Arts Building News

Cultural Venue at Former Granada TV Studios Site, England, UK design by OMA, architects

12 Jan 2017

The Factory Manchester Building

The Factory Manchester Building by OMA

Design: OMA

PLANNING APPROVAL FOR NEW LANDMARK BUILDING IN MANCHESTER DESIGNED BY OMA

12 January 2017 – The plans for Factory, the flagship cultural venue for the North designed by world-leading architects Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA), founded by Rem Koolhaas, were granted planning approval by Manchester City Council today.

The project is OMA’s first major public building in the UK and is led by project partners Ellen van Loon and Rem Koolhaas. Construction is due to begin in Spring 2017.

Factory will be a groundbreaking new venue driven by the extraordinary creative vision and breadth of Manchester’s cultural life. It will form part of the vibrant new St. John’s neighbourhood, which is being developed by Allied London, in partnership with Manchester City Council, on the site of the former Granada TV Studios.

Ellen van Loon, OMA partner in charge of the project, said: “From classical opera and ballet to large scale performances and experimental productions, Factory in Manchester provides the perfect opportunity to create the ultimate versatile space in which art, theatre and music come together: a platform for a new cultural scene.”

Manchester International Festival (MIF) will operate Factory as well as continuing to deliver the festival every two years. The new venue will offer audiences the opportunity to enjoy year round, in a new world-class facility, the broadest range of art forms and cultural experiences – including dance, theatre, music, opera, visual arts, spoken word, popular culture and innovative contemporary work incorporating multiple media and technologies. Artists from across the world will be invited to create new work in the building’s extraordinary spaces.

Factory will accelerate economic growth in the region. Its economic impact will be considerable creating or supporting almost 1,500 full-time jobs and adding £1.1 billion to the city’s economy over a decade. It will make a direct contribution to the growth of creative industries in the North, and reduce the dependency on London as the provider of creative industries training and employment. It will develop partnerships with the city’s leading higher education institutions and will further support the city’s drive for high calibre graduate talent retention through job creation.

The Rt Hon Matt Hancock, Minister of State for Digital & Culture, said: “I want to blast open access to the very best world-class art and culture we have to offer in this country. So we’re investing £78 million into Factory in Manchester that will provide a further boost to the brilliant arts, culture and technology scene in the North. On top of that, it will also help local tourism, generate jobs and provide training opportunities for the next generation of British creatives.”

Tom Bloxham, Chairman, Manchester International Festival (MIF) said: “This is a great show of confidence in the cultural future of the North. In just five festivals Manchester International Festival has established itself as one of the major international arts festivals, and we are delighted to now be able to add to the city’s and the country’s cultural offer all year round through our programming at Factory.”

The Factory Manchester

The Factory Background

Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA)
OMA’s projects include the recently completed Faena Forum, Miami (2016), the Pierre Lassond Pavilion for the Musée National des Beaux-Arts du Québec (2016), Garage Museum of Contemporary Art, Moscow (2015) the Fondazione Prada, Milan (2015) and the CCTV headquarters, Beijing. In the UK their projects have included the headquarters for Rothschild Bank in the City of London (2011) and a Maggie’s Centre in Glasgow (2011). They also created the Serpentine Pavilion in 2006. Currently under development are the Taipei Performing Arts Centre, Fondation d’Entreprise Galeries Lafayette, Paris, Qatar National Library, Qatar Foundation Headquarters, Prince Plaza in Shenzhen. Rem Koolhaas won the Pritzker Prize, the world most important prize for architecture, in 2000.

Ellen van Loon
Ellen van Loon joined OMA in 1998 and has led several award-winning building projects that combine sophisticated design with precise execution. Some of her most significant contributions include the new G-Star Headquarters in Amsterdam (2014); De Rotterdam, the largest building in the Netherlands (2013); New Court, the Rothschild Bank headquarters in London (2011); exterior and interior design for Maggie’s Centre near Glasgow (2011); the Prada Transformer pavilion in Seoul (2009); Casa da Musica in Porto (2005), winner of the 2007 RIBA Award; and the Dutch Embassy in Berlin (2003), winner of the European Union Mies van der Rohe award in 2005.

Van Loon is currently working on Factory, a large performing arts venue for Manchester; a new building for Brighton College in England; and the home of the Danish Architecture Center in Copenhagen.

Manchester International Festival
Manchester International Festival (MIF) is the world’s first festival of original, new work and special events. The Festival is staged every two years in Manchester, UK – the next edition will take place from 29 June to 16 July 2017.

Manchester International Festival launched in 2007 as an artist-led festival presenting new works from across the spectrum of performing arts, visual arts and popular culture and has commissioned, produced and presented world premieres by artists as diverse as Björk, Steve McQueen, Maxine Peake, Robert Wilson, Elbow, Wayne McGregor, The xx, Zaha Hadid Architects, Damon Albarn, Punchdrunk and Marina Abramović, among many others.

MIF brings together artists from different art forms and backgrounds to create dynamic, innovative and forward-thinking new work, staged in venues across Greater Manchester – from theatres, galleries and concert halls to railway depots, churches and car parks. The Festival works closely with festivals and other cultural organisations around the world, whose financial and creative input helps to make projects possible and guarantees that they have a life after each Festival has ended.

MIF works widely within communities around Manchester, originally with MIF Creative and now with a new initiative called My Festival. Launched in November 2016, My Festival is a diverse network of creative people who are forging closer connections with MIF – taking part in public projects, connecting MIF to their communities, and joining a new programme of training activities, workshops and other special events.

MIF is a registered charity. Alongside the income received from principle funders Manchester City Council and Arts Council England, income comes from ticket sales and co-commissioning partners; from other public bodies; from private sponsorship; from charitable trusts and foundations; and from individual donations.

27 Nov 2016

The Factory Manchester Arts Building by OMA

The Factory Manchester Arts Building Design by OMA

Design: OMA

£110m Complex Submitted for Planning Permission

New Images Revealed

The building is part of the £1bn St John’s Neighbourhood.

The project will be OMA’s first major public building in the UK.

The Factory will be a new kind of large-scale venue that captures the extraordinary creative vision and depth of Manchester’s cultural life. It will be a flagship cultural centre for the North and Northwest, commissioning original works in partnership with leading national and international organisations. The Factory will build on the success of the Manchester International Festival and create innovative commissions all year round, playing a significant role in the next phase of economic and cultural evolution in the North.

The Factory will make and present a wide range of art forms and culture, incorporating theatre, music, dance, technology, film, TV, media and live relays, scientific advancements and the connections between all of these – under one roof. It will be an inspiring space where art is created, not just hosted.

The Factory will be large enough and flexible enough to allow more than one new work of significant scale to be shown and/or created at the same time, accommodating combined audiences of up to 7,000. Construction is due to begin in 2016 with completion in 2019.

25 Nov 2015

The Factory Manchester Arts Building Architect

Flagship arts building for the North to be designed by world-leading architect

Government supports project with revenue funding

Design: OMA

25 November 2015 – Rem Koolhaas’ Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) has won the international competition to design The Factory Manchester, the city’s cutting-edge arts venue that will take a radically new approach to cultural production and performance. The project will be OMA’s first major public building in the UK.

The government has agreed revenue funding for the project of £9m per annum from 2018/19 as part of its Spending Review.

Images Copyright: OMA. Image Courtesy of The Factory Manchester

OMA’s projects include the recently completed Garage Museum of Contemporary Art in Moscow (2015) the Fondazione Prada in Milan (2015) and the CCTV headquarters in Beijing. In the UK their projects have included the headquarters for Rothschild Bank in the City of London (2011) and a Maggie’s cancer care centre in Glasgow (2011). They also created the Serpentine Pavilion in 2006. Currently under development are the Taipei Performing Arts Centre, Qatar National Library, Qatar Foundation Headquarters, Musée National des Beaux-Arts du Québec, Prince Plaza in Shenzhen, and Faena Arts Center in Miami. Rem Koolhaas won the Pritzker Prize, the world most important prize for architecture, in 2000.

OMA’s partners in charge of the project will be: Rem Koolhaas, Ellen van Loon and David Gianotten.

The Factory will form a part of the new St John’s neighbourhood, which is being developed by Allied London in partnership with Manchester City Council, on the site of the former Granada TV Studios. This 15-acre site will form a new neighbourhood for people to live, work, create and experience with residential, workspace, hotels, independent food and drink, extensive public realm and open green spaces.

Investment in arts institutions has played a significant role in making Manchester the second most-visited city in England and The Factory is seen as a real cultural counterbalance to London that will develop, train and retain creative talent. Research has shown that there is a demonstrable need for such a new venue, which will serve a catchment area of almost 10m people within a 90-minute drive time. It is calculated that within a decade it will help create the equivalent of nearly 2,500 jobs adding nearly £140m to the local economy.

The budget for The Factory Manchester is estimated to be up to £110m. The Government pledged £78m in last year’s Autumn Statement towards the project as part of its Northern Powerhouse initiative. Manchester City Council will develop the rest of the funding package, which will include third party support such as public subscription and donations, as part of the detailed business case. Capital receipts from planned land and property sales will generate the council’s contribution to capital funding.

The Chancellor George Osborne said: “One of the biggest economic investments we can make in our nation is in our extraordinary arts heritage. That’s why, as part of our package for the Northern Powerhouse, we have backed The Factory with significant investment because we know it will provide an outstanding new arts venue to be enjoyed by people of all ages and backgrounds for generations to come.”

Sir Richard Leese, Leader of Manchester City Council, said: “The importance of The Factory cannot be overstated. It will be of international significance, the cultural anchor for the next phase of economic and cultural regeneration in Manchester, Greater Manchester and beyond. It will help power Manchester and the wider region towards becoming a genuine cultural and economic counterbalance to London, as well as being a place where inspirational art is created.”

Rem Koolhaas, founder of OMA said: “I am delighted that we have won the competition to design The Factory and look forward to realising this radical arts building for Manchester. It is wonderful to participate in the longstanding renaissance of the city, and particularly the Festival, where real experimentation is expected.”

Michael Ingall, Allied London’s Chief Executive said: “We are delighted to be playing our part in such a wide-reaching community and cultural project. We were delighted to see the quality of responses from the design teams but particularly pleased with the choice of architect, having studied several important projects designed by OMA over recent years.”

Alex Beard CBE Chief Executive, Royal Opera House:
“Manchester is one of the world’s great cities and deserves one of the world’s great spaces in which artists can inspire audiences across the Northwest and beyond. The Factory is a hugely exciting and timely project, builds on the remarkable success of the Manchester International Festival and promises to be a brilliant addition to the region’s and nation’s arts landscape.”

Tom Bloxham, Chair, Manchester International Festival and Jury Member:
“We had the privilege of seeing entries from 48 of the world’s great architects, all of whom came up with amazing ideas, however the unanimous view of the judges was that OMA’s entry best captured the ambition, creativity and focus on the artist that characterises Manchester International Festival. Over the last 10 years MIF has established itself as one of the worlds great arts festivals by commissioning new work. We hope The Factory working with OMA, MCC and the Arts Council will be a very real demonstration both of the creativity and successes of MIF and a manifestation of the Northern Powerhouse and a great asset for the city of Manchester. We are very grateful for the support of George Osborne and his confidence in us which has made this possible.”

Jeremy Deller:
“OMA is a great choice as architects. They have great sensitivity and I’m confident that they will design a building that is as adaptable and multi-layered as the city itself.”

Sally MacDonald, Director of Museum of Science & Industry:
“The historic railway and warehouse buildings here at the heart of the city were revolutionary in their day, and helped set Manchester on a world stage. The Factory promises to be just as revolutionary, both in the way it works as a venue and in what it does for the city. OMA are exceptional architects and it will be really exciting to see their ideas take shape for a new landmark alongside the museum site.”

Richard Rogers:
“Rem Koolhas is a great international architect, and responsible for some of the most important cultural buildings of recent years – including the Prada Foundation in Milan and the Garage Gallery in Moscow. He is also a noted thinker, as demonstrated when he curated the Venice Architecture Biennale last year. The Factory should considerably enrich the cultural life of Manchester, and represent the next stage in the city’s urban renaissance.”

The Factory and the wider St John’s regeneration scheme is a joint venture between Allied London and Manchester City Council.

Former Granada Studios in Manchester – interior:

The Factory Manchester Arts & Cultural Centre Building

The other design services awarded as part of The Factory tender are:

Lot 2 Theatre Consultant Services
Charcoalblue LLP
Based in London with a team led by Gavin Green, Senior Partner. Previous projects include St. Anne’s Warehouse and Pier 55 both in New York, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon.

Lot 3 Structural and Civil Engineer Services and Lot 4 Building Services Engineer
Buro Happold Limited
Based in Castlefield, Manchester with teams led by Mark Phillip, Project Partner for Lot 3 and Stephen Jolley, Project Partner for Lot 4. Project experience includes the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, HOME and The Whitworth in Manchester and Louvre Museum, Abu Dhabi.

Lot 5 Cost Consultant and Employer’s Agent Services
Gardiner and Theobald
The team will be led by Gary Faulkner from the London Office with support from the Manchester office. Projects experience includes Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Royal Opera House, London, Liverpool Everyman Theatre and the Civil Justice Centre in Manchester.

Lot 6 Fire Engineer Services
WSP/Parsons Brinckerhoff
Based at The Quays, Salford the team will be led by Ryan McCreadie, Project Director. Projects include Westfield, London, Re-new Chester Theatre and the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.

Lot 7 Acoustic Engineer Services
Arup
Based in Manchester the team is led by Ian Knowles, Project Director. Experience includes the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester, First Direct Arena in Leeds and the Copenhagen Opera House.

Old Granada Studios Manchester:

Allied London

Allied London is an award-winning property development and investment company with a proven track record of creating innovative landmark developments.

With a focus on Manchester, Leeds and London, the business has an on-going commitment to creative vision and quality design, defining them as one of the UK’s leading property developers and place-makers.

St. John’s is the new project developing the former Old Granada Studios site into a new neighbourhood that will be a place for people to live, work, create and experience. Highly connected with the city centre and surrounding area promises to be Manchester’s new neighbourhood of enterprise, culture and living.

Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA)

OMA is a leading international partnership practicing architecture, urbanism, and cultural analysis. OMA’s buildings and masterplans around the world insist on intelligent forms while inventing new possibilities for content and everyday use. AMO, a research and design studio, works in areas beyond architecture that today have an increasing influence on architecture itself: media, politics, renewable energy, technology, publishing, fashion.

OMA is led by nine partners – Rem Koolhaas, Ellen van Loon, Reinier de Graaf, Shohei Shigematsu, Iyad Alsaka, David Gianotten, Chris van Duijn, Ippolito Pestellini Laparelli, Jason Long – and maintains offices in Rotterdam, New York, Beijing, Hong Kong, Doha and Dubai.OMA-designed buildings currently under construction include, Taipei Performing Arts Centre, Qatar National Library, Qatar Foundation Headquarters, Bibliothèque Multimédia à Vocation Régionale in Caen, Bryghusprojektet in Copenhagen, Musée National des Beaux-Arts du Québec, Prince Plaza in Shenzhen, and Faena Arts Center in Miami.

OMA’s recently completed projects include Timmerhuis, new home for Rotterdam’s municipal offices (2015); Garage Museum of Contemporary Art in Moscow (2015); Fondazione Prada in Milan (2015); G-Star Headquarters in Amsterdam (2014); Shenzhen Stock Exchange (2013); De Rotterdam, a large mixed-use tower in the Netherlands (2013); CCTV Headquarters in Beijing (2012); New Court, the headquarters for Rothschild Bank in London (2011); Milstein Hall at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York (2011); and Maggie’s Centre, a cancer care centre in Glasgow (2011). Earlier buildings include Casa da Música in Porto (2005), Seattle Central Library (2004), and Netherlands Embassy in Berlin (2003).

AMO often works in parallel with OMA’s clients to fertilize architecture with intelligence from this array of disciplines. This is the case with Prada: AMO’s research into identity, in-store technology, and new possibilities of content-production in fashion helped generate OMA’s architectural designs for new Prada epicenter stores in New York and Los Angeles. In 2004, AMO was commissioned by the European Union to study its visual communication, and designed a coloured “barcode” flag – combining the flags of all member states – that was used during the Austrian presidency of the EU.

AMO has worked with Universal Studios, Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport, Heineken, Ikea, Condé Nast and Harvard University, produced exhibitions at the Venice Biennale (on the Hermitage museum in St. Petersburg) and Venice Architecture Biennale (on the development of the Gulf in 2006, on Preservation in 2010, and Architecture by Civil Servants in 2012), and guest-edited issues of the magazines Wired and Domus. Recent projects include a plan for a Europe-wide renewable energy grid, a 720-page book on the Metabolism architecture movement (Project Japan, Taschen, 2010) and the educational program of Strelka, a new postgraduate school in Moscow.

Factory Theatre Manchester, St John’s quarter – page
28 Jul 2015

Factory Theatre Manchester

Search launched for architect for Manchester’s £110m Factory

Architects for Manchester’s new £110m Factory Theatre will soon be appointed. The massive arts venue – to be built on the former site of Granada’s TV studios – was announced by the Chancellor in autumn 2014, reports the Manchester Evening News.

Factory Theatre in Manchester: