We are proud to have supported Jeffrey Bell+Company Architects (JB+CO) on their journey to restore and redevelop the landmark Grade II Listed 1930's Rylands Building in central Manchester. This building constructed in the Modernist Art Deco style, originally housed retail units at ground level and 6 floors of textile warehouse and offices for Rylands & Sons, but was converted to a department store in the late 1950's and has since been known as Debenhams. JB+CO's new design combines a sensitive refurbishment of the existing fabric combined with a new build extension forming 28,350m2/305,535 sqft Grade A office accommodation over 10 floors, with the ground floor comprising retail units and a new retail arcade. There is also a spectacular glazed atrium and unique roof top staff facilities space. The result is a redevelopment with high sustainability credentials including BREEAM Excellent, NABERS 5* and Net Zero Carbon in line with Manchester's 2038 strategy.
Having worked successfully together over the years, JB+CO employed SpecStudio back in 2021 to prepare detailed Architectural Specifications as part of the Employer's Requirements to accompany their drawings to ensure that their technical and quality requirements will be met during the construction phase. This is a large and complicated building, with many unique features that needed to be captured and so the level of detail in the Specification is vital to ensure that JB+CO's vision is achieved.
Increasingly SpecStudio is being asked to work on refurbishment and retrofit projects and we are delighted to have contributed to the restoration of the Rylands Building for future generations to enjoy.
The development is now under construction. For more information about the development please visit: https://rylandsmanchester.com/
