Axis Set For Speculative Start

Axis Set For Speculative Start

Developers, the Property Alliance Group, is to press ahead and start a speculative construction programme for their landmark Axis office building in central Manchester.

Approved by the local planning committee on the 29th of May, the scheme has been designed by HKR Architects to stand on Albion Street inbetween the Beetham Tower and G-Mex with other projects such as Bridgewater Hall close by.

At 18 floors tall and with over 7,000 square metres of space within, it will be one of the largest speculative office developments ever to go up in the city of Manchester.

Most substantially it will contain what could be the largest single advertising space in the world, a 51 metre tall LED screen that will be able to display a wide variety of campaigns for the council, building occupiers and other advertisers.

Aixs also sets another record of sorts for a tall building in the U.K, that of the tallest single core and escape stair office block in the country, something of a rarity in today's world obsessed with health and safety driven buildings with multiple cores.

With extensive floor to ceiling glass curtain walling and slender rectangular floor-plates designed to maximise daylight penetration of the offices, the scheme promises occupants 360 degree views of the city centre and areas of 430 square meters. This translates into between 30 and 50 workers per level and a maximum working population for the entire building of around 900 people.

On the top floor will be a large roof terrace open to office occupants to enjoy if they ever get any sunny weather.

In design terms Axis pays tribute to the Beetham Tower from the glass slab look to the vertical white ribbons that punctuate the side in a similar manner to that of its taller neighbour.

Main contractor, Russells Construction, is set to begin work on site in August 2007.

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