In 2011, Mecanoo was commissioned by The Co-operative Group to design the master plan for the NOMA site in Manchester city centre. A part of that plan is the completed public space around The Co-operative Group’s new Headquarters on Angel Square. Here, the landscape surrounding Manchester and the city’s distinct industrial character come together to create a surprisingly green, new business district.
Owned by The Co-Operative Group, the site is accessible to the public via a pedestrian route between Victoria Station and the company’s headquarters. A major challenge was to integrate three large exhaust pipes into the landscape. They provide natural ventilation as part of the building’s indoor climate system.
Angel Square functions as an intermediate zone between the periphery of Manchester and city centre. Thanks to its sustainable design, the site received a BREAAM Excellent rating as well as a CEEQUAL certification. Rounded evergreen shrubs and grasses form the framework for the diverse planting scheme, offering a rich palette of colours throughout the year.
Height differences of up to three metres on the site need to be bridged to create level access to the building. These undulations in the landscape are utilised as natural divisions between the various formal and informal spaces.