The building is one of six within Argent’s masterplan for Piccadilly Place, Manchester. It sits over three levels of car parking and defines a new public square to the east. It comprises retail space on the ground floor and seven upper floors of Grade A office accommodation, which, with three cores, are capable of sub division.
The constraints of the site were such that much of the construction was prefabricated, from the WC pods, the fan coil units/duct work modules and riser installations, to the honed precast concrete cladding and columns.
In terms of urban structure, Four Piccadilly Place seeks to connect the development of Piccadilly Place with the wider Piccadilly area of the city. At ground level it allows a pedestrian link from London Road to Minshall Street and Piccadilly Garden beyond. The internal two storey height colonnade of Four Piccadilly Place seemingly extends the public realm into the curtilage of the building and also connects with the colonnade of Three Piccadilly Place affording a sheltered route around the perimeter of the piazza. Visually from Piccadilly Garden, looking south, the building acts as an urban marker for the development and terminates this important vista at the ‘elbow’ of Aytoun Street.
The elevation arrangements acknowledge the building’s immediate context. The west elevation, with its pre-cast concrete cladding and bris soleil, is a response to its orientation and the noisy, heavily trafficked street, whereas the east elevation is highly glazed to the quiet protected piazza. The seventh floor is set back to the piazza to allow sunlight to penetrate.
In the design, construction and management of Piccadilly Place, sustainability has been key to the building’s environmental and commercial success. Embracing from inception the building achieved BREEAM Excellent rating.