Four Stereotypes of Manchester office locations

Manchester – infamous for its quirky trends, renowned football, Coronation Street and iconic music is now at the centre of what is known as the Northern Powerhouse.

In the past year alone, over 4,000 entrepreneurial new businesses have grown and flourished in Manchester across a variety of sectors. And reflecting the sheer diversity in businesses across the region can be clearly seen in distinctive stereotypes of Manchester workplace design.

Whether you’re based in a trendy loft-style office in the Northern Quarter or on the 14th floor of a world-class, stylish and sustainable development in the heart of Spinningfields, prolific work is being produced contributing to the success of the region.

In this blog we will look closely at four different office designs within the city.

The Northern Quarter

Creative agencies, fashion HQs and an abundance of chic coffee shops are among the common residents of Manchester’s charming Northern Quarter. Winding redbrick, narrow streets compliment this atmospheric neighbourhood, and although you won’t find a chain restaurant or store in close perimeter, the hustle and bustle of the area matches that of Piccadilly itself.

A desired place to do business? Most definitely! As well as being incredibly hip and trendy, there’s something about the NQ atmosphere, which has caught the attention of a number of successful businesses. At Workspace Design and Build, we’ve been fortunate enough to work on a number of successful projects.

For example, when working on our 24 Lever Street project, we were able to produce a forward-thinking space that would slot right into the Northern Quarter’s creative community. Combining the traditional with the contemporary is a typical feature of Northern Quarter workplace design that helps create a comfortable working atmosphere where co-workers can engage freely – vital for allowing those creative and innovative ideas to flow.

Piccadilly

Piccadilly is the hub of Manchester. Buses, trams and trains all convene in this zone, which automatically conveys a quick-paced dynamism for the area. As a hotspot that sees hundreds of workers pass through daily, businesses situated amidst this ultimately need an office design that can keep up!

Workspace designs at the heart of Piccadilly therefore need to be comfortable, encourage collaborative working and ensure that further business growth can take place.

Manchester’s City Tower and Manchester One prime examples of inspiring buildings that contribute to the city’s exponentially growing skyline.

If you’re lucky enough to have your office situated in one of the top floors of these monumental buildings, the view alone of the city is enough to keep you motivated and inspired throughout the day to make those key, executive business decisions.

As well as our own Manchester HQ in Manchester One, we also helped Endless Gain design a workspace on the top floor that allowed further business growth as well as creating a collaborative and connected working environment at the heart of the city.

Media City

Expect big things from this new waterfront destination for work, retail, leisure and living.
With a development value of over £1 billion, this up and coming business location is forecast to double in size within the next ten years.

The sheer development and urban regeneration of such an area is pure indication of the momentum being generated by Manchester businesses and what can be achieved from the Northern Powerhouse.

MediaCity UK’s Pie Factory and Greenhouse have paved the way for a wave of creative, digital and design agencies to contribute to what’s already a thriving business destination – and office design needs to reflect this.

If you were to step inside any of the creative agencies behind a door in the Pie Factory, for example, being faced with a traditional workspace would be a rarity. Contemporary desks, toadstools and hanging chairs and perhaps a quirky water feature are to be expected in such spaces.

Taking a leaf out of Google’s office designs, many creative agencies are seeking innovation from zany workspaces. Could this work? See our blog on what we can learn from Google office’s workspace designs and make your decision.

Spinningfields

Comprising 430,000 sq metres of commercial, residential and retail space – and having been dubbed as the “Canary Wharf of the North “ – this area is a desired business location for any profession.

The strength that Spinningfields offers can be reflected in the confidence that businesses have within the area.

Stylish floor-to-ceiling windows, state of the art security technology and a number of decadent bars creative a professional playground that is Spinningfields. Come lunchtime and when the sun is shining, expect to see an abundance of Hugo Boss suits, red-sole Louboutin shoes and a workforce who take the term “working lunch” to a whole new level.

And with this increased focus on the Northern Powerhouse, it’s quite simply the premium place for business and office design needs to match.

And you?

Are you looking to move your business to Manchester? If so, do you think that any of these four stereotypes suit your work culture? We’d love to hear from you. Leave a comment below or get in touch today.