Riverside House

Location

Salford

Main contractor

Bardsley Construction

Architects

Alford Hall Monaghan Morris

Products

Facing Bricks

Overview

Part of the £650m New Bailey Masterplan, Riverside House in Salford is a four-storey office building that has undergone an extensive redevelopment. Believed to have originally been built between 1860 and 1900, the Grade II-listed building located on the River Irwell was acquired by client, The English Cities Fund. This joint venture between Homes England, Legal & General and Muse Developments strives to bring together investment and regeneration expertise to shape the UKs towns and cities for the future. Allford Hall Monaghan Morris (AHMM) architects were enlisted to design the refurbishment, which included the restoration of the 19^th century brick facade and the construction of a new CAT A office building adjacent to the existing structure.

The existing building is a great example of Victorian Gothic architecture, previously operating as a Royal Veteran Tavern before it fell into a state of disrepair and dilapidation. Considerable care was taken to restore the historic features of the existing facade, whilst the interior, which was failing structurally, required a complete removal and upgrade. The connected new structure was cleverly designed to blend harmoniously, incorporating period features such as large window arches, but with a contemporary twist in the use of more modern materials and colour palette.

Taylor Maxwell were pleased to work with AHMM and Bardsley Construction to specify and supply the facing and special shaped bricks for the new structure of the Riverside House development. Appointed contractor Bardsley Construction carried out the extensive works, which has provided new office space and a riverside terrace at ground floor level. Due to its prominent position, Riverside House acts as a gateway to the new development.

Concept

Due to the historic nature of the existing Riverside House building, the architects wanted to incorporate some of the period features into the facade of the new structure, such as large arched windows of varying sizes and shapes and protruding brick details and cills. These details enabled the new building to seamlessly reflect the original building and prevent it from looking like a new build, something that the architects were keen to avoid.

In addition to preserving the building’s historic features, sustainability and waste reduction were key areas of focus for AHMM architects. When designing the project, they were keen to reflect the site’s proximity to water and nature and their effect on the surrounding city. The building appears light, bright and welcoming, whilst retaining an appropriate style of architecture to match the existing building.

Completion

Taylor Maxwell worked with architects AHMM and main contractors Bardsley Construction to specify and supply a buff coloured facing brick for the new building. This brick was selected as it helped to give the development a contemporary feel, while creating a striking contrast to the red bricks used on the original building. The finish of the brick allowed for different colours and textures to be incorporated into the facade, whilst retaining the effect of a traditional clay brick.

The finished development provides over 11,000sqm of office space with a food retailer and riverside terrace located on the ground floor. The ground floor suite has a dedicated entrance and south facing courtyard overlooking the River Irwell and Spinningfields. The third floor is set back, allowing for a generous external terrace which serves as a lunchtime amenity and informal function space for offices based on the third floor. The building also offers lockers, shower facilities and cycle storage, all of which encourage people working within the building to cycle to work. An intelligent lighting control system and chilled beam cooling system contribute towards the sustainability of the building and the BREEAM Excellent award that it achieved.

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