Sunlight House | Project Update
13 December 2024
We are bringing a historic landmark in the heart of Manchester back to life!
Sunlight House, a Grade II-listed Art Deco building, was originally constructed in the 1930s by Joseph Sunlight and is undergoing restoration. Once the tallest building in the city, this 14-storey structure is a testament to architectural innovation, inspired by Sunlight’s time in the United States.
The building features a steel frame with reinforced concrete slabs, clad in stone, and we are providing comprehensive structural repair strategies to support its transformation. In collaboration with Anomaly and FLATT, led by MYCO and FACTION, our work focuses on structural alterations to facilitate the superstructure’s office refurbishment and the adaptive reuse of the basement as a leisure space as envisioned by Karrev, preserving its heritage significance.
One key challenge lies in the repair and adaptation of the existing basement, which previously housed a swimming pool. Collaborating with Savills, our efforts include cross-referencing the archive drawings (where we were fortunate enough to find the relevant microfiches in Manchester Library) with the current as-built structure, ensuring the existing building meets modern standards while maintaining the historic architectural details of the swimming pool area.
Through rigorous analysis and thoughtful design, we are ensuring this iconic piece of architecture features in Manchester’s skyline for generations to come.
