BDP - Mixed-Use Development - Manchester, Piccadilly Railway Station
Date: 12 Dec 2002
The new station concourse at Piccadilly Railway Station in Manchester was officially opened on
9 December (2002) though it acted as a gateway for the highly successful Commonwealth Games in July and was subsequently featured as the backdrop to TV news footage during the games.
The original listed Trainshed building, erected in 1842 as the London Road Station, is retained but a completely new concourse and entrance improve circulation and dramatically update the image of the station.
Railtrack’s brief to BDP was to give the station a 21st century image, to improve visibility and links with the city, to improve circulation for passengers, and access for pedestrians and vehicles. To achieve this, a new larger concourse with a 7000m² footprint has been constructed on two levels, giving clarity of location and function for the passenger. Modern engineering techniques were used to support the new monopitch roof which makes extensive use of ETFE translucent panels to maximise the daylight provision to the passenger areas.
At platform level the new concourse provides approximately 2000m² of retail accommodation, with new toilets, travel centre and passenger information facilities. At upper concourse level a new pub and restaurants with balcony seating have been created, overlooking the trains and public areas and also with a view towards Piccadilly and the centre of Manchester. Three floors of the new north block, which sits over part of the concourse, provide enlarged and improved facilities for the various Train Operating Companies as well as providing a management and control suite.
A new 500-space multi-storey, long stay car park is provided to the north of the main station. The car park has a vehicle bridge link to the deck that runs alongside the existing train shed and gives access to the main concourse via the new north entrance. Traffic has now been cleared from the approach ramp to relieve congestion and provide a wide footpath for pedestrians. The free bus service linking to the centre of Manchester and occasional special buses are the only vehicles that are permitted. A new lower concourse area has been created which provides a new taxi and private car drop off and pick up area in Fairfield Street.
A new service area has been created on the north side of the station, away from the public side and with direct road access. This links to an extensive undercroft below the new concourse housing large areas of plant, and new service lifts linking retail outlets with their staff and storage areas.
BDP was appointed for this £45m project as planner, architect, landscape architect, mechanical & electrical engineer and lighting designer. Structural engineer was URS, Turner & Townsend was quantity surveyor; Faber Maunsell carried out the traffic management and Laing Ltd was the design & build contractor.
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