The Soapworks office development on Ordsall Lane in Salford has been shortlisted for Building of the Year by the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce.
A £70m project by asset managers The Carlyle Group turned the former Colgate-Palmolive factory into 400,000 sq ft of office space.
Soapworks was recognised for the sympathetic redesign and renovation of one of Salford’s iconic industrial buildings, with raised floors, comfort cooling and full-height glazing.
Its location on the banks of the River Irwell is also starting to bridge the business gap between Salford Quays and Ordsall.
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In June this year broadband giant TalkTalk and government department The Home Office announced a joint swoop for a massive 160,000sq ft of offices at the Salford development.
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It is the only Salford building to be listed in the awards, which includes such daunting competition as the National Graphene Institute in Manchester, the redevelopment of Victoria rail station, and Manchester’s new Cancer Research Centre in Withington.
Last year’s winning building was Manchester Central Library, which impressed judges due to the high quality reconstruction and attention to detail in preserving the historic character of the building.
Now in its 11th year, previous winners of the competition have included Number One Riverside in Rochdale and Ashton Market in Tameside.
Steve Burne, Chair of the Chamber’s Property and Construction Committee and managing director at AEW Architects, said: “This competition aims to celebrate the new, innovative and inspirational buildings that are constructed in our region.
“Once again we have received some phenomenal entries to the competition, highlighting the high standards that are being achieved in construction and design across Greater Manchester.
“The final six buildings also make a significant contribution to our city region and I look forward to our site visits and choosing a winner.”
The winning building will be announced at the Chamber’s Property and Construction Annual Dinner at The Hilton Deansgate in Manchester on 12th November.
