BBC Media Zone

Hamiltons were instructed by Ask and Manchester Council to assist with their bid to attract the BBC to their short listed Media Zone site in Central Manchester.

Taking the necklace of newly enlivened public open spaces in Central Manchester as the main point of reference, the masterplan which was developed sought to knit the new development into the grain of the existing townscape.

Working to a well defined BBC brief, a series of buildings, including offices – flexible enough to include small studios or to be sub-let – and a studio technical building – including recording studios, a studio for the Manchester Philharmonic, technical space and audience handling space – were grouped around the pockets of public open space; The Event Square, to be used for live broadcasts, concerts and other public activities; an Amphitheatre space, taking advantage of the forgotten River Medlock, and fusing the Victorian urban grain, with its rugged brick viaducts and warehouse buildings with the modern; an Arcade taking its reference from European cafe culture and bringing shops and cafes to the heart of this buzzing location, opposite the site of the Hacienda Club, and linking the old with the new, to reinforce the industrial heritage represented by the railway viaduct.