The Co-operative Group Building, Manchester
Encyclopedia
The Co-operative Group Building is a high rise
building currently under construction in Manchester
, England. Upon completion in 2012, it will become the head office of The Co-operative Group
. The building is the first piece of the £800m NOMA
development in the northern quarter of Manchester city centre
.
It will stand at 72.5m and has been nicknamed 'The Sliced Egg
' due to its shape. The £100m building will be a new landmark to compliment the CIS Tower
and will be one of the most sustainable
buildings in Europe. The building is expected to be completed in the summer of 2012, in time for inauguration in September 2012.
to a new site somewhere in the Greater Manchester
area. From 2007 to 2011, the Group has grown strongly according to CEO Peter Marks
, with membership doubling to six million as well as revenue and profits which have also doubled. Takeovers of Somerfield
and the Britainnia Building Society in recent years fuelled impetus for the Group to build a new head office building to accommodate this growth and job transfers to Manchester following takeovers of both companies.
In December 2008, the Co-operative Group announced they would remain in Manchester city centre
nearby their existing base and regenerate land opposite Miller Street where the Group are based. Under the plans drawn out, CIS Tower
and the Co-operative Bank
's Balloon Street headquarters will be unaffected and will continue to operate when the new building opens. Other buildings such as New Century Hall, home to Co-operative Food, Dantzic Building, Hanover Building, Redfern Building and Federation Building will be vacated and/or let to small businesses.
In 2009, murmurs of a new business district and rebranding for the northern quarter of Manchester city centre were discussed. In 2011, after a number of years of contemplating what to name the new 'Northern Gateway' development, the Co-operative announced the project would be christened as NOMA
, which stands for north of Manchester city centre. The project will focus on regenerating a 20-acre site with office, retail, residential and hotel buildings. The development would also aim to encourage visitors to venture out of the southern half of the city centre to the redeveloped northern half. To help achieve this, Manchester City Council
contributed £20m to the fund designated for the NOMA project. The Co-operative Building is part of the first phase of the NOMA project and will be the first building on the new site.
on aspects such as structural engineering
and fire engineering and also Austrian
-based Waagner Biro
, who were commissioned to build the double skin façade on the exterior of the building. Mecanoo
and Manchester-based Royal Haskoning will design the landscape
on the frontage of the building.
More than 4,000 workers from over 90 companies are involved in the construction of the building making it the largest building site outside South East England in the UK
. Construction fell behind in the winter of 2010-2011, but intense work has pushed the project back on schedule. The building reached its maximum height in November 2011 when it was topped out.
-based architecture practice were commissioned to design the new building with a brief to create a green, landmark building for Manchester. Designs were unveiled in 2009. The building will utilise an open plan
office design and will have 325,000 sq ft of space allowing 4000 staff to work at the building.
was utilised as the building main material, its strength allows for large column-free floors key to a successful open plan building. From the ninth floor, the building has been sliced diagonally away, as if it was an egg cut in half, hence the 'sliced egg' comparison.
Outstanding distinction as a result of its high, sustainable energy credentials. The soaring, open atrium faces south to collect heat from the sun, an example of passive solar building design
. The exterior has a double skinned façade that will assist in creating greater natural heating, cooling and lighting. The building will have its own source of sustainable heat and power generation using bio-fuel and waste cooking oil
via a combined heat and power plant, commonly known as cogeneration
.
A number of minor sustainable energy resources will also serve the building's energy requirements. A heat recovery system from the atrium (which collects heat from the sun) and computer systems will recycle waste heat
to be used again. A recycling system for used water and a rainwater harvesting system
will also be installed.
High Rise
High Rise is a 1975 novel by J. G. Ballard. It takes place in an ultra-modern, luxury high-rise building.-Plot summary:The building seems to give its well-established tenants all the conveniences and commodities that modern life has to offer: swimming pools, its own school, a supermarket,...
building currently under construction in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, England. Upon completion in 2012, it will become the head office of The Co-operative Group
The Co-operative Group
The Co-operative Group Ltd. is a United Kingdom consumer cooperative with a diverse range of business interests. It is co-operatively run and owned by its members. It is the largest organisation of this type in the world, with over 5.5 million members, who all have a say in how the business is...
. The building is the first piece of the £800m NOMA
NOMA, Manchester
NOMA is a large mixed-use development in Manchester which is due to open in 2012, and will be home to The Co-operative Group. It is the largest development project in the North West England ahead of developments such as MediaCityUK and Atlantic Gateway and overall is the largest development outside...
development in the northern quarter of Manchester city centre
Manchester City Centre
Manchester city centre is the central business district of Manchester, England. It lies within the Manchester Inner Ring Road, next to the River Irwell...
.
It will stand at 72.5m and has been nicknamed 'The Sliced Egg
Egg
-Biology/food:*Egg , an organic vessel in which an embryo first begins to develop*Ovum, a female egg cell*Egg , the egg of a fowl or fish consumed as food-Places:*Egg Island *Egg, Switzerland, a Swiss municipality...
' due to its shape. The £100m building will be a new landmark to compliment the CIS Tower
CIS Tower
The Co-operative Insurance Tower, or CIS Tower, is an office tower building on Miller Street in Manchester, England. It was completed in 1962 and rises to 387 feet in height. The Grade II listed building, which houses Co-operative Financial Services, a part of The Co-operative Group, is...
and will be one of the most sustainable
Sustainable energy
Sustainable energy is the provision of energy that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Sustainable energy sources include all renewable energy sources, such as hydroelectricity, solar energy, wind energy, wave power, geothermal...
buildings in Europe. The building is expected to be completed in the summer of 2012, in time for inauguration in September 2012.
History
Location
Plans were announced in 2007 by The Co-operative Group to move from its headquarters on Miller Street and Corporation StreetCorporation Street, Manchester
Corporation Street is one of the major streets which bisects Manchester city centre. The street starts where Cross Street meets the junction of Market Street and ends at the junction of Dantzic Street...
to a new site somewhere in the Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
area. From 2007 to 2011, the Group has grown strongly according to CEO Peter Marks
Peter Marks
Peter Vincent Marks is a British businessman, who is the current Chief Executive of the British member-owned retailer The Co-operative Group.-Early life:He went to St...
, with membership doubling to six million as well as revenue and profits which have also doubled. Takeovers of Somerfield
Somerfield
Somerfield was a chain of small to medium sized supermarkets operating in the United Kingdom. The company was taken over by the Co-operative Group on 2 March 2009 in a £1.57 billion deal, creating the UK's fifth largest food retailer. The name is currently being phased out and replaced by the...
and the Britainnia Building Society in recent years fuelled impetus for the Group to build a new head office building to accommodate this growth and job transfers to Manchester following takeovers of both companies.
In December 2008, the Co-operative Group announced they would remain in Manchester city centre
Manchester City Centre
Manchester city centre is the central business district of Manchester, England. It lies within the Manchester Inner Ring Road, next to the River Irwell...
nearby their existing base and regenerate land opposite Miller Street where the Group are based. Under the plans drawn out, CIS Tower
CIS Tower
The Co-operative Insurance Tower, or CIS Tower, is an office tower building on Miller Street in Manchester, England. It was completed in 1962 and rises to 387 feet in height. The Grade II listed building, which houses Co-operative Financial Services, a part of The Co-operative Group, is...
and the Co-operative Bank
Co-operative Bank
The Co-operative Bank plc is a commercial bank in the United Kingdom and Guernsey, with its headquarters in Manchester.The bank markets itself as an ethical bank, and refuses to invest in companies involved in the arms trade, global climate change, genetic engineering, animal testing and use of...
's Balloon Street headquarters will be unaffected and will continue to operate when the new building opens. Other buildings such as New Century Hall, home to Co-operative Food, Dantzic Building, Hanover Building, Redfern Building and Federation Building will be vacated and/or let to small businesses.
In 2009, murmurs of a new business district and rebranding for the northern quarter of Manchester city centre were discussed. In 2011, after a number of years of contemplating what to name the new 'Northern Gateway' development, the Co-operative announced the project would be christened as NOMA
NOMA, Manchester
NOMA is a large mixed-use development in Manchester which is due to open in 2012, and will be home to The Co-operative Group. It is the largest development project in the North West England ahead of developments such as MediaCityUK and Atlantic Gateway and overall is the largest development outside...
, which stands for north of Manchester city centre. The project will focus on regenerating a 20-acre site with office, retail, residential and hotel buildings. The development would also aim to encourage visitors to venture out of the southern half of the city centre to the redeveloped northern half. To help achieve this, Manchester City Council
Manchester City Council
Manchester City Council is the local government authority for Manchester, a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. It is composed of 96 councillors, three for each of the 32 electoral wards of Manchester. Currently the council is controlled by the Labour Party and is led by...
contributed £20m to the fund designated for the NOMA project. The Co-operative Building is part of the first phase of the NOMA project and will be the first building on the new site.
Construction
Construction work on the new head office building began in July 2010 soon after planning permission was granted. Salford-based BAM Construction was appointed the main building contractor. Specialist engineering services were supplied by Buro HappoldBuro Happold
Buro Happold is a professional services firm providing engineering consultancy, design, planning, project management and consulting services for all aspects of buildings, infrastructure and the environment, with its head office in Bath, Somerset...
on aspects such as structural engineering
Structural engineering
Structural engineering is a field of engineering dealing with the analysis and design of structures that support or resist loads. Structural engineering is usually considered a specialty within civil engineering, but it can also be studied in its own right....
and fire engineering and also Austrian
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
-based Waagner Biro
Waagner Biro
Waagner-Biro is a Vienna, Austria-based corporation which owns companies in steel and mechanical engineering. It has about 1000 employees in 14 locations in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.-Businesses:...
, who were commissioned to build the double skin façade on the exterior of the building. Mecanoo
Mecanoo
Mecanoo is a firm of architects based in Delft, The Netherlands. The Delft based office of Mecanoo was officially founded in 1984 by Francine Houben, Henk Döll, Roelf Steenhuis, Erick van Egeraat and Chris de Weijer. The firm is directed by its original founder architect Prof. ir. Francine M.J....
and Manchester-based Royal Haskoning will design the landscape
Landscape architecture
Landscape architecture is the design of outdoor and public spaces to achieve environmental, socio-behavioral, or aesthetic outcomes. It involves the systematic investigation of existing social, ecological, and geological conditions and processes in the landscape, and the design of interventions...
on the frontage of the building.
More than 4,000 workers from over 90 companies are involved in the construction of the building making it the largest building site outside South East England in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Construction fell behind in the winter of 2010-2011, but intense work has pushed the project back on schedule. The building reached its maximum height in November 2011 when it was topped out.
Architecture
3DReid, a GlasgowGlasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
-based architecture practice were commissioned to design the new building with a brief to create a green, landmark building for Manchester. Designs were unveiled in 2009. The building will utilise an open plan
Open plan
Open plan is the generic term used in architectural and interior design for any floor plan which makes use of large, open spaces and minimizes the use of small, enclosed rooms such as private offices...
office design and will have 325,000 sq ft of space allowing 4000 staff to work at the building.
Form
The building has been given the nickname of the 'sliced egg' because of its suggestive shape. A focal point of the building will be the south facing atrium, which aims to maximise daylight into the building. The structure of the building has three internal cores, shaped in the form of an equilateral triangle. SteelSteel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
was utilised as the building main material, its strength allows for large column-free floors key to a successful open plan building. From the ninth floor, the building has been sliced diagonally away, as if it was an egg cut in half, hence the 'sliced egg' comparison.
Sustainability
The building will be one of the largest in Europe to have the BREEAMBREEAM
BRE Environmental Assessment Method is a voluntary measurement rating for green buildings that was established in the UK by the Building Research Establishment . Since its inception it has since grown in scope and geographically, being exported in various guises across the globe...
Outstanding distinction as a result of its high, sustainable energy credentials. The soaring, open atrium faces south to collect heat from the sun, an example of passive solar building design
Passive solar building design
In passive solar building design, windows, walls, and floors are made to collect, store, and distribute solar energy in the form of heat in the winter and reject solar heat in the summer...
. The exterior has a double skinned façade that will assist in creating greater natural heating, cooling and lighting. The building will have its own source of sustainable heat and power generation using bio-fuel and waste cooking oil
Cooking oil
Cooking oil is purified fat of plant origin, which is usually liquid at room temperature ....
via a combined heat and power plant, commonly known as cogeneration
Cogeneration
Cogeneration is the use of a heat engine or a power station to simultaneously generate both electricity and useful heat....
.
A number of minor sustainable energy resources will also serve the building's energy requirements. A heat recovery system from the atrium (which collects heat from the sun) and computer systems will recycle waste heat
Waste heat
Waste heat sometimes called Secondary heat or Low-grade heat refers to heat produced by machines, electrical equipment and industrial processes for which no useful application is found. Energy is often produced by a heat engine, running on a source of high-temperature heat...
to be used again. A recycling system for used water and a rainwater harvesting system
Rainwater harvesting
Rainwater harvesting is the accumulating and storing of rainwater for reuse before it reaches the aquifer. It has been used to provide drinking water, water for livestock, water for irrigation, as well as other typical uses. Rainwater collected from the roofs of houses and local institutions can...
will also be installed.
Awards
The building has won a number of awards before opening in 2012, including:- BREEAMBREEAMBRE Environmental Assessment Method is a voluntary measurement rating for green buildings that was established in the UK by the Building Research Establishment . Since its inception it has since grown in scope and geographically, being exported in various guises across the globe...
Outstanding Award - Builder & Engineer Awards 2011
- Sustainable Project of the Year
- Architect of the Year - 3DReid
External links
- Creating a new Head Office that is good for everyone - courtesy of The Co-operative website
- NOMA53 Official Website