Hallé rehearsal rooms reference Ancoats district’s industrial heritage
RIBA National Award winner 2021
RIBA North West Award winner 2021
stephenson hamilton risley STUDIO for Hallé Concerts Society
Contract value: £4.7m
GIA: 1,145m2
Cost per m2: £4,105
This is a highly successful and sophisticated piece of urban architecture, completing the east end of Manchester’s Cutting Room Square. Its interior spaces are no less compelling, and provide transformative facilities for this major cultural institution.
Extending the grade II-listed St Peter’s Church, it provides essential new facilities for the Hallé concert hall, and gives it a public face, greatly expanding opportunities for engagement with the surrounding city.
Architecturally, it sits confidently in its urban setting. Inspiring and functional, it successfully negotiates the challenges of creating a modern addition to a historic building. With substantial ingenuity it fits considerable accommodation onto a constrained site and delivers high-performing acoustic conditions. Attention to detail is exemplary with the use of high quality materials which are clearly built to last.
Externally, the brickwork of the building’s plinth successfully integrates the new and existing buildings, while the use of weathering steel reflects the industrial heritage of the surrounding district.
Building form, massing, daylighting and the performance of the building fabric have all been carefully considered. The thorough sustainability strategy has been borne out in energy use, performing well in relation to RIBA 2030 targets.
See the rest of the North West winners here
And all the RIBA Regional Awards here
See other RIBA National Awards 2021 winners, Culture, here