Spinningfields

[Architecty]

Originally Posted by Ephemera

I suppose it's good quality stuff, but I can't help thinking that it looks like a cheap option. Maybe I'm wrong.

I would think its probably one of the more expensive cladding solutions on any recent building in town; that’s not to say you automatically should like it, but there is a huge difference between it looking minimal/simple and literally being cheap. That’s also not to say I can’t see why you see it that way; although I quite like it, that bland corporate simplicity does feel lacking in some way.

[Ephemera]

Originally Posted by Architecty

I would think its probably one of the more expensive cladding solutions on any recent building in town; that’s not to say you automatically should like it, but there is a huge difference between it looking minimal/simple and literally being cheap. That’s also not to say I can’t see why you see it that way; although I quite like it, that bland corporate simplicity does feel lacking in some way.

I suppose I was too quick to say it looked 'like the cheap option'. I really don't know how much things cost, and another word would have been better. So I'm sorry for saying that.

But then, if I can only value something on the level of how it looks, not by way of cost, I may as well do that. So, I devalue this because it's boring, and I can't get up any interest when I walk past it. There's nothing which captures me and makes me want to consider it. If that's the wrong attitude, then I don't know how else to judge buildings.

Anyhow, it won't be winning any of my coveted architectural awards.

[Architecty]

You can judge it as much as you want, by any means that you want. I just find it genuinely interesting that inexpensive finishes often fool people into thinking they have quality when all spanky and new, while good quality expensive stuff isn’t always apparently so until everyone realises how good it looks 10 years on.

[highriser]

Hardman Sq

[markydeedrop]

27/ 3/2007

HSBC has signed up for new 30,000 sq ft offices at Allied London's Spinningfield development, Deansgate.

The UK's largest bank, HSBC is set to occupy the remaining 30,000 sq ft (2,787 sq m) of No 4 Hardman Square having agreed a 15 year lease at £28 per square foot.

The deal comes as Spinningfield prepares to reveal another 30,000 sq ft letting in the wake of Barclaycard's shock decision not to occupy the 80,000 sq ft building it had rented at Spinningfield after pulling its call centre operation out of Manchester. Barclaycard say they are relocating to Teeside and India.

HSBC will share the same building as accountants Grant Thornton, who agreed to take 25,000 sq ft last year. 4 Hardman Square is situated in the heart of Spinningfields in the new Hardman Square, which is to be the focal area of Spinningfields.

Spinningfields is fast becoming the new business district for Manchester and has attracted a number of top financial institutions including Royal Bank of Scotland and Deloittes.

Delighted

"We are delighted to have landed such a high profile organisation for this prominent landmark building", said Michael Ingall, chief executive of Allied London. "Spinningfields has set a benchmark for office accommodation in Manchester and this has been reflected in level of success we have achieved at the scheme. HSBC will add to the mix of companies located at Spinningfields and I have no doubt that the development will continue to attract similar high quality occupiers."

In addition to the office space, HSBC has taken a 15 year lease on a 1,250 sq ft ground floor unit, which will operate as a walk in branch to support its existing city centre network.

"Our client was keen to close the deal before the end of the year and we are extremely pleased to have been able to achieve this," said Chris Mulcahy, partner at King Sturge which acted on behalf of the bank. "4 Hardman Square fronts the main public square within the wider Spinningfields development, giving the building its own unique identity. It was this location, coupled with scheme's high profile within the Manchester office market that ultimately proved to be the draw for HSBC."

Speculation

Speculation is mounting that there will be further office deals of 30,000 sq ft linked to the recent announcement that retailers Armani and Hugo Boss would move to Spinningfield. Sources say that tenants are ready to take office space above the new shops.

Trevor Sloan, partner at Jones Lang LaSalle, said: "There will be some distinctive architecture, which combined with the huge attraction of the financial services operators already at spinning field, will attract professionals to the site."

Dunlop Haywards also acted on behalf of Allied London.

Investment group Matrix is rumoured to be close to agreeing the £300m sale of two buildings at Spinningfield occupied by the Royal Bank of Scotland. Prudential and Standard Life are said to be the buyers.

[highriser]

From my window at work at the moment i would have had a great view of Eastgate and Albany rising , therer'll bloody start now ive gotta move ,,, oh well if Norman pulls his finger out i'll just have to watch 1 HS rise instead

[b4mmy]

Originally Posted by markydeedrop

Nice image that... Spinningfields rocks, Allied London have done a great job down there...

[highriser]

Yeah i like that image to , 3 Hardman St is going to be a beauty , we should expect another crane going up there in the next couple of weeks .

[macc]

From Whathappenedlastnight.net

*The mock-italians are coming! Strada is a chain of Italian restaurants that started life down South. Word is that they’re planning a new outlet in the Leftbank building in Spinningfields (the new financial district), and it’s clearly aimed at the business/daytime crowd. Zizzi – a chain of Italian restaurants that started life down South – is planning to open in Manchester, not for the first time however as there was a Zizzi on King Street back in 2003 (Their much-loved pizzas, prepared in a wood-fired oven, weren’t loved much by Manchester).
Unfortunately for Zizzi and Strada they’re opening next to each other....I wonder if they know?**

[Cheechie]

Visiting Manchester for the first time in a couple of years in April, and this is one of the developments I am most looking forward to viewing in the ‘flesh’. I share the same (mild) concerns of the horizontal band finish of the two building in Hardman Square, but believe that this could compliment designs of a less monotonous nature when built in their immediate surroundings.

To state the obvious, Spinningfields is such a massive opportunity for Manchester to deliver not only attractively-sized floor plates, but to provide the development with the quality finish befitting its potential – moving it away from a very ambitious provincial development to establishing a truly world-class ambience, more akin to many parts of the City and Canary Wharf.

Give the square some real quality, 3 Hardman Street render looks impressive, and then should ol’ Fozzie’s Big One meet expectations, then this will be a massive step in Manchester moving beyond its ‘decent sized Northern city’ feel, into somewhere that packs a more serious punch on a pan-European level. Sounds greedy, but shame the development isn’t twice the size.

BTW- thanks for all the great photos Marky, Highriser et al. New poster, but long time voyeur…

[highriser]

Welcome Cheechie

Base of another tower crane is in place at 3 Hardman St ..

[jrb]

Tonight.

[The Longford]

Here you go jrb - told you they werent anything special!

[Farsight]

I saw this in the flesh a couple of weeks ago and thought Wow. I was really impressed. The finished effect is very sleek and clean lined, almost streamlined, especially with the metal, and the curves made me somehow think aircraft or spacecraft or space age city. I'm not quite sure. But it's definitely very beautiful in my book. I look forward to seeing it as a futuristic backdrop on't Telly.

[jrb]

Originally Posted by The Longford

Here you go jrb - told you they werent anything special!

Cheers Longy.

So new info below. could have been posted already?

[jrb]

I've sent an email to Bostock and Pollitt /Allied London asking them if they would kindly allow us(SSC Manchester Forum) to see/post the movie trailer.



Allied London, the developer behind Manchester's new business district, is set to capture the international business community's attention in true Hollywood style.

Bostock and Pollitt have been commissioned to make a short movie trailer to showcase all that's exciting about the new 2.37 million sq ft Spinningfields development with a particular focus on '3 Hardman Street', a 350,000 sq ft signature building in the heart of the new district.

The film is a fast-moving action epic featuring helicopters, base jumpers and free runners to get across the sense of pace and energy that's at the core of the district.

The film will be used worldwide with a teaser featuring at the MIPIM conference in Cannes.

http://www.bostockandpollitt.com/news/archive.php

[jrb]

[marni1971]

Not seen it mentioned anywhere but I took a walk through Hardman Square today - yep, it`s fenced in, but you can now walk from New Gartside St to Crown Square. Weather was bad or I would have got some phone pics.

I did get a pic of a works map on a wall - showing 2 phase 2 buildings; one across the east end of the square, infront of The Opera House, and one on Quay St to replace Quay House.

[highriser]

Noticed today there is a lot of work going on where the footbridge from Leftbank is going to be , i wonder if this about to be put into place ?

Got told this week were moving to 4Hardman Sq on the 7th Sept ,, King St ( HQ) are moving in June .

[gpfan01]

has anyone seen this trailer for spinningfields yet? or know where you can see it?