Brownfield Mill, now known as Avro Manchester, is one of Manchester’s most iconic industrial revolution-era mills. Rather than demolish and rebuild, the developer Urban Splash decided regenerate the building drawing on its rich history as much as possible.
| Project | Avro - Brownsfield Mill |
| Location | Great Ancoats Street, Manchester |
| Client | Urban Splash |
| Landscape Architect: | Re-Form Landscape Architecture |
| Main Contractor: | Urban Splash |
| Sector: | Residential |
| Design / Product | Bespoke Modal Seating |
| Design / Product | Bespoke Shelter |
| Photography: | Urban Splash |
The history of the building is inexorably linked with the aviation industry. It is named Avro after the famous aircraft manufacturer who produced military aeroplanes through WW1 and WW2 at this location.
There are numerous nods to this heritage throughout the redeveloped building. One of these is in the secluded communal resident’s garden. A structure to provide sun shade was needed, due to the effects of urban heating on the space. This effect is made worse by it being bounded by buildings and traffic from the adjacent Great Ancoats Street. The landscape architect designed a structure made from oval-shaped timbers which cleverly mirrored the cross-sectional laminate of an aeroplane’s wing.
Logic was able to manufacture this structure using precision CNC cutting techniques and large sections of Opepe hardwood.
Also, the urban garden features benches sat on top of planter-edge style enclosed supports, allowing the functional industrial aesthetic to be continued through the outdoor space while providing a calming, green area for residents to relax. All seating was made from tropical hardwood like the sun shade structure.
The benches were based on the Modal integrated seating design albeit heavily modified to meet the landscape architect’s vision. Like the sun shelter, the benches were made from Opepe hardwood, chosen because of its durability and resistance to warping. The sun shelter was a bespoke product.
