Spinningfields

[Hubert_M1]

Originally Posted by flange

http://www.retailpropertyanddevelopm...gfields-071511

That screen is highly unimpressive, the resolution is very low, I watched a bit of Withnail and I on it before the torrential rain and hail started.

It's as bad as the one on Exchange square. I'm sure much better screens are available, e.g. like the one on Piccadilly Circus in London.

[markydeedrop]

[jayo]

Yesterday.

[Comdot]

sunday pics.

kro taking the space of 2 & 3 hardman boulevard


kro


some new thing in the bottom of rbs/ 1 hardman boulevard

[yesevil]

Hardman sq was packed tonight for the showing of Grease on the big screen...busiest I'e seen it yet!

[flange]

6,000 watch free films

The outdoor cinema at Spinningfields has attracted more than 6,000 filmgoers this summer.

Organisers say the success of the big screen over the past two months has been helped by the line-up of classic films and sporting events and the chance to enjoy a drink.

Mark Burgess, Spinningfields estates director, said the business district has become one of the city's top summer destinations because of the Screenfields film festival, live concerts and coverage of big sporting events like Wimbledon.

He said: "We are delighted with the success of Screenfields, where we have seen over 500 people attend on average each week and over 1,000 for some films including Grease and Breakfast at Tiffany's."

Nearby restaurant Giraffe is also reporting bumper sales as films ranging from documentaries like Man on Wire to family friendly The Incredibles drew in the big crowds.

Vikki O'Neil, marketing manager at the restaurant, said the bar it runs on film nights sold 2,800 pints and a further 50 jugs of Pimms just in the last week.

She added: "If have been to one of the film nights you will remember the vibe for a long time.

"The atmosphere is incredible with everyone so relaxed - it has really brought people together and the impact has been much more powerful than we anticipated.

"Not only have our sales increased by 100 per cent on some weeks when the weather has been on our side but the screen as an attraction has introduced Spinningfields to thousands of people who had never been to the area before - so for raising awareness - unbeatable."

http://blogs.manchestereveningnews.c...ree_films.html

[Bluegate74]

I really think the green space that is reserved for 2-3 Hardman Boulevard should be kept as that - a green space. This whole development when complete will have precious little public space and NO green 'lung' putting a building here will just obscure the stunning architecture of the new courts building from certain angles.

[Splendidineogh]

Originally Posted by jayo

Yesterday.

That is very nice.

[flange]

Spinningfields guard blocks photographer

Paul Gallagher

August 15, 2009

A MAGISTRATE was ordered not to take photographs of office buildings in Manchester's Spinningfields business district - after a security guard said it was private property.

Scott Cowap, 56, was wandering through Hardman Square on a lunch break when he decided to take out his camera and take some snaps of the surrounding glass buildings.

Rules

But a Spinningfields security guard dressed in a blazer approached Mr Cowap and told him it was against the rules to take pictures in the area.

The guard said the public spaces within Spinningfields are classified as private property and owners Allied London have prohibited photography.

Mr Cowap, from Sale, who works for a city centre legal firm and is a lay magistrate, said: "I told him that it was ridiculous and that surely it must be a public place.

"But apparently it is not. In any case the rule is unnecessary and irrelevant because you can stand on any road adjoining the area and take as many photographs of Spinningfields as you like.

"What if you were sitting on a table with friends outside one of the restaurants - would you be stopped from taking a snap of the group as a memento of your meal?

"It's a shame because in my view the area is very photogenic and worth recording for posterity."

Polite

Mr Cowap, a keen amateur photographer, said the security guard was polite and courteous and agreed to show an identification badge to prove who he was, but insisted that he had to uphold the rule about photography.

He added: "I wasn't taking any pictures of people, it was just some of the buildings. The irony is that the area is surrounded by CCTV cameras so Allied London were busy taking pictures of me but I am not allowed to take pictures of their buildings.

Over the past eight years developer Allied London has transformed the area bounded by Deansgate, Quay Street, the river Irwell and Bridge Street as the Spinningfields district has taken shape.

The district includes several large office blocks with restaurants and bars on the ground floors, the new magistrates' court building, the Left Bank apartment complex and two public spaces. A number of exclusive retailers have also been signed up to open outlets in a new shopping precinct.

The futuristic and cosmopolitan lines of the buildings have proved a favourite with amateur photographers with scores of images posted on internet sites.

'Urban spaces'

The Spinningfields website states: "This public realm consists of a series of urban spaces made up of contemporary piazzas, boulevards and streets to compare with the best in other European cities."

Allied London chief executive Mike Ingall said that the security guard had made a mistake. Mr Ingall apologised to Mr Cowap: "We have had a problem with commerical companies filming in Spinningfields without permission and that is what we're concerned about. It does not extend to tourists or private individuals who are just taking pictures for their own pleasure. We will rebrief our security guards."

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co....s_photographer

[andysimo123]

Originally Posted by flange

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co....s_photographer

I hope Mike Ingall last statement is true. Us Photographers need some help and publicly in fighting this stupid culture.

[Comdot]

nothing to get too het up about there then.

if indeed they do own the land they have the right to stop photography. in the case of disruptive professional video photography then i see their point. every time i've seen films, proper films as in for cinema or tv, it has looked pretty disruptive, with gear all over the place, such as camera rails, and bolshy guys shouting 'don't look at the camera' to everyone who walks past. that stuff clearly needs permission as it provides an unusual level of disruption nearby, unlike a guy with an SLR.

[rolybling]

The security guard should have used some common sense, it's plainly ridiculous to prohibit private individuals who take photographs for pleasure from taking photographs in a public place, there is no sense in that and he should have seen it. The word 'jobsworth' springs to mind.

[jrb]

I got pulled taking pictures of CJC when it was being constructed. It was all sorted out eventually. Had a nice tour and chat with the then site Manager.

[andysimo123]

Originally Posted by Comdot

nothing to get too het up about there then.

Ye and no. Some things such as this you can't take an image of a copper needs to be stopped. As photographers we need to create the heat to produce some productive criticism.

[staticmeltdown]

If this whole development has been built as 'private' with no actual public space then I'd suggest something's very wrong with our planning system, and indeed our society.

[flange]

Living Ventures signs up for Spinningfields

28th August 2009

DEVELOPER Allied London has wooed North West leisure operator Living Ventures to its Spinningfields location in Manchester city centre.

Knutsford-based Living Ventures, which operates the Gusto Italian restaurant brand and the Glackhouse steak restaurants, is opening two venues in the business district.

One will be a bar concept with food on Hardman Square and the second will be an up-market restaurant/club on The Avenue, the retail core of Spinningfields.

The fit-out of both sites will begin in January next year. Living Ventures is investing £2.5m in the new openings.

Founder Tim Bacon recently revealed to TheBusinessDesk that he had set up a new business, Living Ventures Management, to launch a three new concepts.

The Australia-born entrepreneur previously founded the Living Room bar chain, but later sold it for nearly £30m.

http://www.thebusinessdesk.com/

Living Ventures' £2.5m Spinningfields deal

Jill Burdett

August 28, 2009

INDEPENDENT restaurant operator Living Ventures has signed up to open two outlets in Spinningfields, Manchester.

The Cheshire-based company is investing £2.5m in a double deal that will bring a small bar-kitchen fronting Hardman Square, and an upmarket restaurant-club-bar on the luxury shopping street, The Avenue.

Developer Allied London is also believed to be in detailed discussions with D&D London, formerly Conran, and with another independent operator which already runs a large French brasserie in London, in an effort to take the eating options around Spinningfields upmarket.

Living Ventures already operates The Grill On The Alley in the city, but managing director Tim Bacon said: "I am very impressed with what is being done at Spinningfields, and we are delighted to be a part of it.

"The designs of both sites are going to shake it up and be very different from what you would expect in such a corporate environment. Allied say they have created a space just for us and we plan to make it very special.

"Manchester still suffers from a lack of good restaurants, and the names being brought in here are very exciting."

The fit-out of both sites is due to start in January and be complet in time for a `big bang' opening of The Avenue in the spring, almost 12 months behind its original launch date.

But Allied chief executive Mike Ingall says the delay was inevitable, given the current economic climate, and it was always the intention to open it only when it was fully let.

He said: "I don't want The Avenue to open in dribs and drabs - the stores have to open all at once. If we get The Avenue right, it will create the Spinningfields development."

The 18-unit tree-lined street will be anchored by Armani, which takes possession of a 6,000 sq ft `glass shard' building close to Deansgate early next month. Other luxury retailers signed up include Joseph, Mulberry, Oliver Sweeney, Kurt Geiger, Flannels and, most recently, Rigby and Peller, whose glamorous ladies' underwear and swimwear has even tempted the Queen to join its customer list.

There is also likely to be a 10,000 sq ft branch of Waitrose.

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co....ingfields_deal

D&D London were rumoured to be opening at Spinningfields a while back so is good to see that they may possibly be opening their

[flange]

Phase One explores Manchester's answer to Canary Wharf

10 September, 2009

By Katie Puckett

Construction industry newcomers hear the inside story on the development of the Spinningfields commercial district

Phase One attendees in Manchester last Thursday enjoyed a bird's-eye view of the Spinningfields development - and a behind-the-scenes account of how Allied London's 22-acre development was designed and built.

From Pinsent Masons' offices on the 12th floor of 3 Hardman Street, nearly 60 young Mancunian construction professionals heard how the project team had spent the past 10 years creating the city's answer to Canary Wharf, or to La Defense in Paris.

Allied London's construction director Graham Skinner gave a fascinating 20-minute presentation about not only the completed buildings but also those likely never to see the light of day - Make's sleek, towering hotel, the Manchester, for example.

“We thought it was sensational, but we didn't know how the building was going to stand up,” said Skinner. “So I went to see a concrete company and we talked about doing Europe's largest slipform. But the bottom is glass so I don't think we'll be seeing any more of that one.”

The piece de resistance of Spinningfields was supposed to be 1 Hardman Square - covering 700,000 sq ft. “There was an American bank interested in taking 350,000 sq ft,” said Skinner, “but it may be some time before we see anything like that now.”

Skinner also revealed how Fred “the Shred” Goodwin took a near-disastrous hands-on role in the design of RBS' building at 1 Spinningfields Square, demanding the removal of a vital structural component from the lobby after construction had already begun.

Then it was the turn of engineers from Capita Symonds Structure, who have worked on every single building in the development some capacity, to regale the attendees.

Director Kevin Mitchell, associate Dave Mitchell and project engineer John Hughes described the many months of calculations they undertook to ensure the 23m cantilever at 1 The Avenue behaved exactly as expected, how they used integrated services and composite cellular beams to cut thousands off the cost of the expensive glass cladding by reducing the height of the building, and how they had designed 3 Hardman Street around a substation already on the site.

The event was supported by Pinsent Masons, Capita Symonds, Manchester Business School and the University of Salford.

http://www.building.co.uk/story.asp?...de=3148435&c=0

[macc]

So that's why Make's design for the hotel was ditched. It makes sense when you look at it. The walls are made of glass on the bottom floors. How was that ever going to stand up?

I loved the design though.

[Priscilla QOTD]

Originally Posted by macc

So that's why Make's design for the hotel was ditched. It makes sense when you look at it. The walls are made of glass on the bottom floors. How was that ever going to stand up?

I loved the design though.

Me too. I was never 100% about the location though...

[spoonsbeatfish]

Originally Posted by macc

So that's why Make's design for the hotel was ditched. It makes sense when you look at it. The walls are made of glass on the bottom floors. How was that ever going to stand up?

I loved the design though.

Thats a real shame, loved the design. Would have been a great entrance to Spinningfields and started to add some special architecture to the site. As great as Spin is, most of the site is fairly basic architecture and while that is sensible (in terms of making it affordable and not overdoing it) I think they should really make an effort with the last few builds to build some special buildings.