BEHOLD....the world's tallest and most impressive skyscraper in Wolverhampton.......

MANDER HOUSE

Built: Circa 1960
Height: 3,001 meters
Floors: 451.5 + 45 floors underground
Fact: The first Die Hard movie was filmed here. Bruce Willis was often seen frequenting Sainsbury's & the Wimpy Burger restaurant in 1986 during its filming.


http://www.webbaviation.co.uk/wolverhampton/wvd05.jpg
http://www.trevalan.com/Photography/Images/Picture%201.JPG

View from the penthouse suite:

http://wasimsadiq.com/photos/esbtop/NY22%20ESB%20Top%2002.jpg

In 2001, I wrote the words 'F**k Albion' somewhere at the back of the building.

Mander House makes the Empire State Building look like a 10 storey council block in Brierley Hill, complete with an assortment of chavs, Bosnian refugees and vomit in the lifts.

Wonderful post! :rofl:

Seriously though, Mander looks good now she's had a clean up, and she is a good example of her type.

AND, what impresses me is that the copper/green crown contains all the crap such as plant area, antennae etc. It really pisses me off that we have tall buildings spoiled by clusters of stuff at the top.

If all buildings of this era looked like this, maybe we wouldn't be in such a rush to pull them down,

6/10

That view from the top is very impressive ;)

Wonderful post! :rofl:

Seriously though, Mander looks good now she's had a clean up, and she is a good example of her type.

AND, what impresses me is that the copper/green crown contains all the crap such as plant area, antennae etc. It really pisses me off that we have tall buildings spoiled by clusters of stuff at the top.

If all buildings of this era looked like this, maybe we wouldn't be in such a rush to pull them down,

6/10

In all seriousness, Mander House 'aint a bad looking building at all. I've actually had the pleasure of going inside the building and it's very nice....nice place to work, if I say so myself. The only thing I don't like about Wolverhampton is the monster maze multi-storey car park....although it's handy for the shops, etc.

That view from the top is very impressive ;)

Isn't it!

I took that a while ago....I almost felt like I was in Manhattan for some reason.

The thing with this building is that you never really notice it apart from on a few streets as it's built on top of the shopping centre, so it doesn't really create much of an impact as you're walking around town, as for the building itself well after it's clean up it still looks dirty and I think it could do with a reclad personally.

Here's a pic I took of it:

http://static.flickr.com/31/67482559_5725a5bf2f.jpg?v=0

It's got a nice chunky design and 'solid' feel to it which I like, I just wish it wasn't so grey.

I give it a 4.

In 2001, I wrote the words 'F**k Albion' somewhere at the back of the building.


And it was me who wrote "Juan Kerr desperately wants to..." at the beginning of your graffiti on Mander House.

I think that statement complements "Wolves are shit" scribbled on a bridge by the Hawthorns. ;)

If it was me, I'd write "I was born in Wolverhampton but I'm sympathetic to every football team in the country." Or more simply "Football is boring".

But back to Mander House, I like it and it's a relatively good landmark for the city centre. It's just a shame that it's dwarfed by most of the residential tower blocks. :yes:

6/10

6/10

And it was me who wrote "Juan Kerr desperately wants to..." at the beginning of your graffiti on Mander House.

I think that statement complements "Wolves are shit" scribbled on a bridge by the Hawthorns. ;)

If it was me, I'd write "I was born in Wolverhampton but I'm sympathetic to every football team in the country." Or more simply "Football is boring".

But back to Mander House, I like it and it's a relatively good landmark for the city centre. It's just a shame that it's dwarfed by most of the residential tower blocks. :yes:

See you next season in the REAL league....

Nothing like the Wolves/WBA rivalry. I'd actually like to see BOTH teams in the Prem so I'd be able to watch the Black Country derby from here.

Mander House isn't a bad building....and I know they were renovating the Mander Centre before I left.

p.s. F**k Albion!

It's such a fucking short arse innit? Did any of you know that tall buildings in Wolverhampton are banned because of an old ruling that states that NO NEW STRUCTURE SHOULD BE BUILT TALLER THAN THE TOWER OF ST PETER'S PARISH CHURCH IN THE CITY CENTRE FOR AT LEAST 400 YEARS? :yes:

To be fair that is the world famious Wolverhampton Parish Church, oh, no wait..

4/10
nothing special

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j129/van_heckler/DSC00064.jpg
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j129/van_heckler/DSC00066.jpg
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j129/van_heckler/DSC00060.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j129/van_heckler/DSC00061.jpg
:drool: :drool: :drool: :drool: :drool:

6/10
Really liking this. Looks late 50's early 60's. Got that nice refinement you got in that period before bruatlism took over.
Good solid fenestration, nice jaunty copper roof, good dimensions and mass.
Has it been cleaned recently? Looks good.
Like the groovy 'sail' type things on the carpark. What are they?

Good stuff - will look out for this next time i'm in Wolves (but perhaps not the graffitti eh?).

^^ I know it's not a great building but it's nice to see it get a positive reaction.

Like the groovy 'sail' type things on the carpark. What are they?
I think they're just over the top light posts that make the car park slightly more welcoming.

8/10 cos it's so cute.

Saw it from the train the other day - it looks good in person too, really neat and no nonsense. Solid 6/10

Its one of those fwe buildings that shows the early build up to the architecture we love to hate from the 1960s.

It's the most disgusting building in the city by far, but I feel as I was born there I must stand up for my city!! It's a great place to live and I really don't think anyone should judge a whole city by one very badly designed mediocre quality monstrosity.

:shifty:

i live in wolves and this building is shit...trust

I dont like the fact that when seen from certain angles some of the windows contain different coloured glass

7/10 - looks nice and neat from the street.

Given the proliferation of shyte architecture in Wolverhampton, I don't see how anyone could possibly claim this inoffensive, clean-lined modern building is the city's ugliest!

6/10

Hi does anyone know if this building is going to get a reclad. The building looks decent don't get me wrong but its just looks dirty and a reclad would make the building more attractive for sure.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2742/4534874028_d127812157_b.jpg

http://http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2784/4534832614_1058f66291_b.jpg

Hi does anyone know if this building is going to get a reclad. The building looks decent don't get me wrong but its just looks dirty and a reclad would make the building more attractive for sure.

I like it as it is. It could do with a clean and there are a few missing tiles at the top which could do with being replaced, but I think a reclad would be unnecessary.

It's my favourite concrete building in the city.

It's my favourite concrete building in the city.[/QUOTE]

i dont know why the people of wolverhampton dont like this building.

Heres one i took at night

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2784/4534832614_1058f66291_b.jpg

3/10

Is this the tallest building in Wolverhampton?

Is this the tallest building in Wolverhampton?

No, the Student Village (http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=639676) is:

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j129/van_heckler/8-27.jpg

High-rise wise it's only the 14th tallest.

I didnt know that.

I managed to sneak up on to the 9th floor and take 2 photos http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4022/4550042651_33ea633eca_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4048/4550676572_fa1aa4317c_b.jpg


From by the Civic Hall.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4012/4550676576_68ec40130a_b.jpg

One more at night.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4030/4550676578_10514599b3_b.jpg

Has anyone got any pics from 1980/1990s please ?

Not sure how old this one is.

http://www.blackcountryhistory.org.uk/bctest/wolverhamptonimages/%c2%a9p0005033.jpg

Its from about 1985/6 i think.

Not sure how old this one is.

http://www.blackcountryhistory.org.uk/bctest/wolverhamptonimages/%c2%a9p0005033.jpg

It was white once then?

I heard Mander House had a clean up in the mid 90s but its just grey now.

Has anyone else got any older pics

Please:)

There's not that many people from Wolverhampton on here so you're best to just search online. I just found this image of Mander House in the background from searching on Google, you may have seen it before, it's actually from the West Midlands Tower Blocks thread on here!

http://www.blackcountryhistory.org.uk/bctest/wolverhamptonimages/%c2%a9p0000106.jpg


Plus, I doubt Mander House is the most photographed building in the world. :D

EDIT: Here's the Mander Centre before it was covered over. I remember it like this with all the fountains and lots of concrete!

http://www.gqg59.dial.pipex.com/local_history/local_architecture/mander_centre.jpg


I think the car park was behind the concrete in the link below - I think this is all covered over now, I remember sitting here as a child but I'm not sure where it is now as I rarely go to Wolverhampton these days.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/97468058@N00/2269354241

I dunno why but i really like the mander because of its simple design and it looks like its starting to fill up again after much of the offices were empty.

6/10

10/10 :)

10/10 :)

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4097/4764581714_5659371709_b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4137/4764054181_82b50dc86c_b.jpg
9th Floor

How did you get in?

How did you get in?

I was wondering the same thing. Did he break into the 9th floor of Wolverhampton's most iconic skyscraper to get us that photo? If so, kudos to him!!

What happened is that there is no security on the ground floor and the 9th floor is the only floor where no people are working and i just went up in the lift. I nearly got caught tho but the views are incredible. The building aint bad inside,looked like it got done up about 5 years ago its really modern compared to how the building looks on the outside i wish it could have a reclad. :-)

If you look on the 2nd page i got a pic of south west wolves and a pic of st peters church.

so beautiful its just like a modern version of the cube in Birmingham ;)

so beautiful its just like a modern version of the cube in Birmingham ;)

I wouldn't go that far lol but it is a cube :lol:

I've seen worse, but also a lot better...5/10

I think people think this building is horrible because it's dirty. All mander house needs is a clean.

Any updates on this building.

Mander House is an iconic building. I know it's not that tall, but when I went for a job interview there in 1999, it commanded amazing views across Wolverhampton and beyond.

How's the Mander Centre these days?

Hmm I think this may have solved a mystery. With family living in Wednesfield I visited Wolverhampton a lot as a small kid (though only ever visited Brum itself once :( ). I distinctively remember an old concrete shopping mall I visited but it wasn't the Bullring, I think it may have been this one! Unless there are others like it in the Metropolis?

Comfortably numb. The mander centre got redeveloped in 2003-2004 but to be honest it's cramped too many people getting in your way all the time and it half empty so not that good lol. Another thing what floor did you get interviewed on.

My company has some offices in this building, now I know what it looks like!

4/10

Who is your company? West midlands pension fund? Or BDO stoy hayward?

Who is your company? West midlands pension fund? Or BDO stoy hayward?

RBS, got some space on the 3rd floor

Ah right.

/.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3183/5835523321_b7fe992d1f_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3183/5835523321_b7fe992d1f_b.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7063/6910380488_a58999302c_b_d.jpg

^^ highlights why I like it so much, great landmark for long journeys on the train at night. Can see it for miles off.

I do think it could do with some cleaning up, but beyond that I don't think there's much wrong with it.

It did have a clean 15 years ago but it needs one again.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7244/7194838276_c93db09058_b_d.jpg
Another.

Brilliant photo, thanks for that. Definately a 10 in my books.

Cheers

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8017/7446646814_846098bd4e_b_d.jpg

Not a very good photo but just shows how to many Mander House is Wolverhampton's skyline.

http://afar.ws/Wolfimgs/manderhouse.JPG

It's all we have as a skyline (except the student block)

I want mander house to get a refurb

Architecturally, there isn't a great deal going for Mander House, let's be honest. But, as a Wolf, I have absolutely nothing but love for it. Only a resident of Wolverhampton knows how good it feels when you're coming back from a long journey and you see that blue haze; you know you're nearing home!

However, even through my rose tinted eyes, the building is in obvious need of some kind of renovation or modernisation. So long, that is, as they don't change the top! Returning home to Wolverhampton wouldn't be the same without it!

It's like a big beacon poking out of the top of nowhere saying "Wolverhampton".

Yes though it certainly needs a bit of work.

My friend works in the top floor for Rolex. Reckons he's in the green bit but that must be plant etc.

It's like a big beacon poking out of the top of nowhere saying "Wolverhampton".

Yes though it certainly needs a bit of work.

My friend works in the top floor for Rolex. Reckons he's in the green bit but that must be plant etc.

The green part at the top is surely just a plant level - it doesn't even have windows!

7/10

The green part is the 10floor and there are offices up there because I went up there a couple of years ago also the wolf ( radio station )used to be tenants from 1997-2005

It's like a big beacon poking out of the top of nowhere saying "Wolverhampton".

Yes though it certainly needs a bit of work.

My friend works in the top floor for Rolex. Reckons he's in the green bit but that must be plant etc.

I reckon when he said top floor he ment the 9th floor

Ugly !

It ain't ugly

Did anyone see the fireworks display off the top. It looked incredible !!!!

Did anyone see the fireworks display off the top. It looked incredible !!!!

I'm currently at a friend's house, in Dunstall, and I couldn't see it from here as hard as I tried.

I'm hoping for some Express and Star photos or something...

I'm gonna upload a HD video to YouTube so watch this space. Meanwhile here is a link
http://www.expressandstar.com/news/2013/01/01/world-welcomes-2013-with-spectacular-fireworks-displays/

LMAO @ this thread.

Mander House is a Wulfrun icon. It's a beautiful, brutal building, like (if there was a) god shat out a rectangular concrete & 5% glass shat and dumped it right in the middle of Wolverhampton. I once went for a job interview for a company located in Mander House. I remember being able to just about see the Wrekin from the 8th (or 9th) floor. I heard that it's no longer Wolverhampton's tallest skyscraper though, is that true? Is the big Sainsbury's still there in the Mander Centre and the Braggs bakery?

LMAO @ this thread.

Mander House is a Wulfrun icon. It's a beautiful, brutal building, like (if there was a) god shat out a rectangular concrete & 5% glass shat and dumped it right in the middle of Wolverhampton. I once went for a job interview for a company located in Mander House. I remember being able to just about see the Wrekin from the 8th (or 9th) floor. I heard that it's no longer Wolverhampton's tallest skyscraper though, is that true? Is the big Sainsbury's still there in the Mander Centre and the Braggs bakery?

The tallest building is the new student building, which is essentially a very big pile of portakabins with some fascia panels stuck to it.

http://s0.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/02/62/85/2628515_4e0fe097.jpg

I don't think it has ever been Wolverhampton's tallest building. Just the most iconic.

http://www.emporis.com/statistics/tallest-buildings-wolverhampton-unitedkingdom