For my third year project my site was located in the area Hulme, Manchester. The groupwork my classmates and i participated in at the start of the year aquainted us with the area and site we would be working with as well as local people who gave us their vews on the area. This informed what types of buildings we decided to do for our porjects. For my project i was enticed by the idea of developing a music venue since that was one outcome of the community engagement activites i participated in that intrigued me.
The Russel Club (also known as The Factory)
The Hulme Hippodrome
In Hulme historically there have been music and theater venues that provided some of the services the current venues such as the Z-Arts Centre do. Hulme is famous for producing bands such as Joy Division who performed at the Hulme venue, The Russel Club (called The Factory for the nights that their signature musical style was performed). This venue is fondly remembered even today after its been long gone.
Similar things can be said for the Hulme Hippodrome which hosted theatre productions in its heyday but is currently on the Manchester City Council's Buildings at Risk Registry. For musicians in Hulme right now the main places they can perform and record are the Z-Arts Centre and Junction Pub but they aren't dedicated music venues so that's something that would be worth tackling for my project.
Hulme Soundworks
Site Location Plan
Site Plan
The Hulme Soundworks project builds upon the surrounding services provided along Stretford Road in Hulme, Manchester. It adds more focused musical facilities to add to the various specializations of local engagement venues like the Z-Arts and Hulme Garden Centre.
My building gives to Hulme a music focused venue to nurture the next generation of musicians in the same way that The Factory provided the new generation of musicians at the time a platform. The recording facilities allow for more experienced musicians to have a place to record their music and the rehearsal spaces being open to anyone gives bands places to come practice and generally have fun. The added facilities of the café means people can come in the morning, practice, have lunch and continue in the night. The With music lesson spaces for musicians of any skill level to practice in groups and learn from each other, it’ll help foster a community. The addition of a large auditorium that can be rented out also gives local organisations a large meeting place to hold events if they choose. The building is flexible enough as not to only provide for musicians though as the spaces are welcome for anyone even if they just use the café and bar or just want to see the small exhibition on Hulme’s Musical History.
I decided upon implementing a brickwork façade because i didn't want to overwhelm with something too radically different from the surrounding context. I want something that feels like it fits in with the surrounding context so it has aspects of the buildings that surround it with this material choice.
The building’s roof structure is supported by various steel columns and structural brick and block constructed portions of the building as well as structural concrete walls. The primary structure would be the brick and block, steel and concrete walls that all support the roof. The steel structure that supports the auditorium roof would be braced to support the large area of roof surface it covers.
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1:20 Detail Section
1:5 Ground Floor Detail
1:5 First Floor Detail
1:5 Window Detail
1:5 Parapet Detail
3D Model Renders
