Oval to reshape Albert Bridge House vision

Unlikely given the redesign is focusing on the office element, but the facade of the tower needs a serious re-think. It has to be one of the most dated looking schemes before it’s even started. Patchwork colours do not work, it looks like it’ll look like it has been constructed via crowdfunding. No issue with the colour palette, no issue with the material choice – just don’t chuck it up like a painting by numbers exercise.

This is absolutely abysmal. Manchester really lacks architectural direction and a lot of the recent buildings are looking seriously dated (MODA’s Angel Gardens for example – all the render is stained). What would really work here is a modern interpretation of Sunlight House. Proposals like this will wreck Manchester.

Love the plans but why is the orange building wearing a cape?

Great looking tower. Hope it isn’t touched. Office was too overbearing for the location. Reduce the size of it and dedicate to more public realm. Alternatively add a hotel here. Manchester needs more rooms.

Never liked Brutalism. Albert Bridge House won’t be missed by me. This at least looks interesting especially the greenery

Will be interesting to see what happens with the House of Fraser building. Markets change so quickly now.

I heard that the council asked them to rethink the design as New Bailey demonstrated a more modern approach. The proposed residential building is dreadful and looks shabby before it starts. Needs a complete rethink.

This is the ugliest scheme in the pipeline within Manchester right now. The brown checker box skyscraper with the turquoise fin looks like something harking back to 70’s council housing. Even Reneker’s glass boxes look more contemporary

The Light green cladded building has an interesting and refreshing design, but the green cladding is hideous. If it had red brick detailing, it would look 100% classier.

There is nothing in the portfolio of projects as listed on their website that gives me even the slightest bit of confidence that Oval Developments can deliver something as ambitious as this.

Plenty of other car parks in the area, if they’re concerned about displacement.

Uh-oh. Here we go.

The existing building is far superior to the new build design, refurbishing the current building will be cheaper and aesthetically more pleasing on the eye.

People freaking out about a CGI that’s not happening anyway..😅. The excitables get everywhere. Luckily nobody that matters ever listens!

This isn’t Brutalist, it’s modernist. Has been one of my favourite buildings in Manchester for a long time and I wish they were retrofitting instead.

Albert Bridge House remains one of the few interesting buildings left in Manchester. It is representative of the period it was built in and certainly has lasted longer than many of the Lego build that now deface the city. Whilst I can appreciate that retrofitting might be costly the proposed builds are far from aesthetically pleasing and a solid 50’s block might prove an interesting alternative to much that is going up around and along the Irwell. Oval are rethinking as much because what they want to build is just one amongst many and has no individuality. The Tax Office, ugly brutalist block that it is stands for the first wave of Manchester redevelopment and at least it says something about post war architecture that all the new builds cannot be said about the hotchpotch of mediocrity now defacing the skyline other than just another couple of nondescript design and builds.

I agree with Dave, the current building is a great modernist piece of architecture it should be retained.

Aesthetically, I would much rather see bricks and masonary used more. History demonstrates that when they are used and its done well, they usually stand the test of time.

Albert Bridge House is a beautiful classic modernist building. ‘One of the first and best big post-war buildings in the city. Eighteen storeys high with Portland stone cladding and low blocks coming forward to make a group.’

Just needs a renovation.

“one of the few interesting buildings left in Manchester”

Try harder

What’s the point of destroying everything? Good cities don’t do that

Albert Bridge House is a pug ugly 60’s monstrosity better used as rubble. It’s not like they’ll be tearing down The Refuge or the tootle building. Get rid asap.

I hate that green building. It looks like an hotel in Magaluf.

Ha, Albert Bridge House isn’t even the nicest building on the square, although I’m fine for keeping it. Sorry trolls but it ain’t Halloween yet.

Albert Bridge House May not be the greatest building ever, but the replacements (if they ever happen) are oddly crude.

Absolutely nothing wrong with colour in buildings. Manchester could do with a bit more. There’s glazed brick and faience which you see on the city’s Victorian palazzo warehouses and pubs.

This sight could learn from the two EPR Architects designed schemes planned nearly which utilise grazed brick and standard bricks . Both of these proposals are shapely without being vulgar.

It is a fine 1950s building that would look great with the windows and the stone updated.

Maybe it’s because I worked so many years there I find it boring and ugly. Albert Bridge house was never beautiful…so little of modernism is imo. The new proposals need to be better though.