Artisan selects HKR for Brown Bros Building in Salford

The growing Manchester office of HKR Architects has won a contest to design a mixed-use development at the Brown Bros site in Salford with developer Artisan Property Group.

Artisan shortlisted three firms to pitch for the redevelopment of the site of the warehouse and brewery. HKR beat Glenn Howells, of Birmingham, and Studio Egret West, London, to win the contract.

Artisan's brief included replacing the existing buildings with new-build offices, a hotel, residential, public space and an active ground floor.

The selection panel comprised Carol Ainscow, founding chairman and chief executive of Artisan; Jason Millett, deputy chief executive of Artisan; Felicity Goodey, chairman of Central Salford urban regeneration company and James Chapman of James Chapman Architects.

Ainscow said: "The Brown Bros Building brings Artisan to Salford for the first time and we believe that this development will be a major part of the city's ongoing regeneration."

HKR director Phil Doyle commented: "Our approach to the competition was to come up with a solution that reflected the uniqueness of the site and its potential for sending out a real signal to the outside world of the continuing renaissance of Salford.

"We have captured a series of new forms and typologies for each of the building uses. The materials are deliberately raw with exposed concrete cladding enlivened with a screen-printed and embossed pattern.

"The coloured glass balconies are intended to act as a beacon for the 'Vibrant, Prosperous and Beautiful' brand of Salford during the day and night."

In the 20 months since HKR opened in Manchester, the office has grown to a team of 32 with a turnover of £3m. HKR's directors in Manchester, Doyle and Jon Matthews, were both previously at Sheppard Robson.

The Brown Bros Building at the junction of Chapel Street and Trinity Way in central Salford, was originally a timber yard, before being used as an industrial mill in the late 19th Century.

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