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Often criticized for its perceived bleakness, Japanese architect Tadao Ando's concrete pavilion at Manchester's Piccadilly Gardens would be replaced under a multi-million-pound overhaul to the busy public space. Legal & General Investment Management Real Assets (L&G), in partnership with Manchester City Council, has announced plans to regenerate the square, working with Urban Edge Architecture on establishing a clear vision for the property.
The heavily used space, which sees annual traffic from approximately 16 million people, will be updated to achieve a more family-friendly atmosphere. "We see the partnership with Manchester City Council and the proposal for Piccadilly Gardens as an opportunity to regenerate a prominent and well-used space in central Manchester that is also a thoroughfare to other parts of the city," said Bill Hughes, head of real assets at Legal & General Investment Management. "Under the proposals, L&G will dedicate £2 million worth of investment in improvements to Piccadilly Gardens to make them more attractive and welcoming to families while deterring anti-social behaviour. The proposed Pavilion design will bring a new vibrancy and economy to Piccadilly Gardens which we hope residents can be proud of and visitors to Manchester will see as a destination in its own right."
The 130-metre-long curved pavilion currently stretches across the site, providing cover for a small coffee shop. Though it was built in 2002 as part of a broader revamping of the area, which was damaged by a 1996 IRA bomb, the structure is showing signs of deterioration. The wall received near-universal backlash immediately after it was completed, and a recent petition to remove or transform the pavilion received over 20,000 signatures. A similar 2013 petition had proposed draping the concrete with greenery, an idea that was surprisingly embraced by the Pritzker Prize-winning Ando.
The existing grassed area would be raised and enlarged, while the children's playground is lined with flowers and shrubs. Additional trees would be planted and enhanced lighting would assist in the effort to curb crime. The unsightly wall, which was meant to protect the space from the noise and pollution of the adjacent bus terminal, would be traded for a wood and glass structure topped by an undulating roof. To help with ongoing maintenance costs, two new electronic advertising screens could bring in £50,000 a year. Urban Edge Architecture says that the removal of the wall and opening of the space will improve its natural surveillance.
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