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NEWS
Rem Koolhaas' cultural hub for Manchester wins planning approval
POSTED 01 Dec 2016 . BY Kim Megson
Factory is OMA's first major public project in the UK Credit: Factory Manchester
Factory, the flagship arts building for the north of England designed by Rem Koolhaas’ Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA), has been granted planning approval by Manchester City Council.

Construction will begin in Q1 2017 on the large-scale venue, which has been designed to reflect the “extraordinary creative vision and breadth of Manchester’s cultural life”. Ellen van Loon and OMA founder Rem Koolhaas are leading the project.

The £110m (US$137.2m, €129.6m) venue – which takes its name from Factory Records, the Manchester music label which launched the careers of British bands Joy Division, New Order and the Happy Mondays – will be operated by the Manchester International Festival (MIF), which will commission and host performances of theatre, music, dance, technology, film and TV. The 130,000sq ft (12,000sq m) structure will have room for 2,200 seats and 5,000 standing visitors.

The project's economic impact will be considerable, creating or supporting almost 1,500 full-time jobs and adding an estimated £1.1bn to the city’s economy over a decade. In time, it will form part of the city’s new 20 acre St. John's neighbourhood, which is being developed by Allied London in partnership with the council on the site of the former Granada TV Studios. Hotels, independent food and drink outlets, extensive public realm and open green spaces will also feature.

According to local publication Manchester Confidential, OMA’s design resembles in parts the work of surrealist architectural artist Filip Dujardin, who imagines concrete or industrial buildings introduced into unfamiliar contexts. The rear of Factory appears to feature cladding formed of a mixture of materials forming unconventional patterns – contrasting with the concrete and glass exterior at the front of the building.

“Much of my professional life has been spent undoing limitations of the traditional typologies," said van Loon, responding to the council's green light. "From classical opera and ballet to large scale performances and experimental productions, Factory in Manchester provides the perfect opportunity to create the ultimate versatile space in which art, theatre and music come together: a platform for a new cultural scene.”

Speaking last year, Koolhaas said: “It is wonderful to participate in the longstanding renaissance of this city, where real experimentation is expected.”
Factory will commission and host performances of theatre, music, dance, technology, film and TV Credit: Factory Manchester
The project is intended to reignite Manchester's cultural scene Credit: Factory Manchester
It will form part of the city’s new 20 acre St. John's neighbourhood on the site of the former Granada TV Studios Credit: OMA
Rem Koolhaas has spoken about OMA's desire to create a 'radical' design Credit: OMA
OMA founder Rem Koolhaas is working on the project Credit: Factory Manchester
PROJECT PROFILE:

The Factory
Rem Koolhaas’ Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) has won an international competition to design a cutting-edge arts venue in the UK city of Manchester.


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  OMA fight off illustrious competition to design Manchester arts venue The Factory


Rem Koolhaas’ Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) has won an international competition to design a cutting-edge arts venue in the UK city of Manchester.
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The Everyday Heritage initiative celebrates and preserves working class histories
Off the back of the success of the first round of Everyday Heritage Grants in 2022, Historic England is funding 56 creative projects that honour the heritage of working-class England.
Universal announces long-awaited details of its Epic Universe, set to open in 2025
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NEWS
Rem Koolhaas' cultural hub for Manchester wins planning approval
POSTED 01 Dec 2016 . BY Kim Megson
Factory is OMA's first major public project in the UK Credit: Factory Manchester
Factory, the flagship arts building for the north of England designed by Rem Koolhaas’ Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA), has been granted planning approval by Manchester City Council.

Construction will begin in Q1 2017 on the large-scale venue, which has been designed to reflect the “extraordinary creative vision and breadth of Manchester’s cultural life”. Ellen van Loon and OMA founder Rem Koolhaas are leading the project.

The £110m (US$137.2m, €129.6m) venue – which takes its name from Factory Records, the Manchester music label which launched the careers of British bands Joy Division, New Order and the Happy Mondays – will be operated by the Manchester International Festival (MIF), which will commission and host performances of theatre, music, dance, technology, film and TV. The 130,000sq ft (12,000sq m) structure will have room for 2,200 seats and 5,000 standing visitors.

The project's economic impact will be considerable, creating or supporting almost 1,500 full-time jobs and adding an estimated £1.1bn to the city’s economy over a decade. In time, it will form part of the city’s new 20 acre St. John's neighbourhood, which is being developed by Allied London in partnership with the council on the site of the former Granada TV Studios. Hotels, independent food and drink outlets, extensive public realm and open green spaces will also feature.

According to local publication Manchester Confidential, OMA’s design resembles in parts the work of surrealist architectural artist Filip Dujardin, who imagines concrete or industrial buildings introduced into unfamiliar contexts. The rear of Factory appears to feature cladding formed of a mixture of materials forming unconventional patterns – contrasting with the concrete and glass exterior at the front of the building.

“Much of my professional life has been spent undoing limitations of the traditional typologies," said van Loon, responding to the council's green light. "From classical opera and ballet to large scale performances and experimental productions, Factory in Manchester provides the perfect opportunity to create the ultimate versatile space in which art, theatre and music come together: a platform for a new cultural scene.”

Speaking last year, Koolhaas said: “It is wonderful to participate in the longstanding renaissance of this city, where real experimentation is expected.”
Factory will commission and host performances of theatre, music, dance, technology, film and TV Credit: Factory Manchester
The project is intended to reignite Manchester's cultural scene Credit: Factory Manchester
It will form part of the city’s new 20 acre St. John's neighbourhood on the site of the former Granada TV Studios Credit: OMA
Rem Koolhaas has spoken about OMA's desire to create a 'radical' design Credit: OMA
OMA founder Rem Koolhaas is working on the project Credit: Factory Manchester
RELATED STORIES
OMA fight off illustrious competition to design Manchester arts venue The Factory


Rem Koolhaas’ Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA) has won an international competition to design a cutting-edge arts venue in the UK city of Manchester.
MORE NEWS
UK's Royal attractions had a bumper year in 2023
Numbers from the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions, (ALVA) show that Royal attractions saw a huge increase in visitor numbers during 2023 – the coronation year of King Charles III.
Efteling to convert steam trains to electric as part of green drive
The Everyday Heritage initiative celebrates and preserves working class histories
Off the back of the success of the first round of Everyday Heritage Grants in 2022, Historic England is funding 56 creative projects that honour the heritage of working-class England.
Universal announces long-awaited details of its Epic Universe, set to open in 2025
Universal has revealed it will be adding new Harry Potter attractions, alongside Super Nintendo and How to Train Your Dragon worlds to its Florida resort.
Heartbreak for Swedish theme park, Liseberg, as fire breaks out
A fire has destroyed part of the new water world, Oceana, at Liseberg in Sweden, and a construction worker has been reported missing.
Museum director apologises after comparing the city of Florence to a sex worker
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COMPANY PROFILES
Polin Waterparks

Polin was founded in Istanbul in 1976. Polin has since grown into a leading company in the waterpa [more...]
DJW

David & Lynn Willrich started the Company over thirty years ago, from the Audio Visual Department [more...]
Holovis

Holovis is a privately owned company established in 2004 by CEO Stuart Hetherington. [more...]
instantprint

We’re a Yorkshire-based online printer, founded in 2009 by Adam Carnell and James Kinsella. [more...]
+ More profiles  
FEATURED SUPPLIER

CSI Design Expo Americas 2024 announces new Attractions & Entertainment Technology Zone
Cruise Ship Interiors (CSI) invites cruise lines, shipyards, design studios, outfitters, and suppliers to take part in CSI Design Expo Americas in Miami, Florida, the region’s only event dedicated to cruise ship interior design. [more...]
CATALOGUE GALLERY
+ More catalogues  
DIRECTORY
+ More directory  
DIARY

 

08-08 May 2024

Hospitality Design Conference

Hotel Melià , Milano , Italy
10-12 May 2024

Asia Pool & Spa Expo

China Import & Export Fair Complex, Guangzhou, China
+ More diary  
 


ADVERTISE . CONTACT US

Leisure Media
Tel: +44 (0)1462 431385

©Cybertrek 2024

ABOUT LEISURE MEDIA
LEISURE MEDIA MAGAZINES
LEISURE MEDIA HANDBOOKS
LEISURE MEDIA WEBSITES
LEISURE MEDIA PRODUCT SEARCH
ATTRACTIONS MANAGEMENT NEWS
ATTRACTIONS HANDBOOK
PRINT SUBSCRIPTIONS
FREE DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTIONS