MIKE ELLIS   ARCHITECTURE - CREATIVE DESIGN - FINE ART

ARCHITECTURE PORTFOLIO EXCERPTS

M(ARCH) YEAR 2

THE BRIEF RECEIVED WAS TO INVESTIGATE THE NATURE AND THE SPIRIT OF MANCHESTER, A CITY UNDERGOING A RENAISSANCE. THE AIM WAS TO MAINTAIN THE RICH TRADITION OF BUILDING CULTURE IN MANCHESTER AND TRANSFORM IT INTO A CONTEMPORARY ONE THAT RESPONDS TO THE CURRENT CULTURE AND NEEDS.

THE PROJECT WAS LOCATED LARGELY UNDER ST PETER’S SQUARE IN THE CENTER OF MANCHESTER, UTILIZING EXISTING INFRASTRUCTURE AND ARCHITECTURE, MOST NOTABLY MANCHESTER ART GALLERY, THE CENTRAL LIBRARY, AND THE GUARDIAN UNDERGROUND TELEPHONE EXCHANGE (GUTE) NETWORK, A REPURPOSED NUCLEAR BOMB SHELTER 31M BELOW GROUND LEVEL.

THE PURPOSE OF THE SCHEME WAS TO RECONNECT FORGOTTEN INFRASTRUCTURE WITH THE PROMINENT ARCHITECTURE ABOVE. THIS WAS DONE THROUGH THE EXHIBITION OF THE CULTURAL HERITAGE OF MANCHESTER; CONNECTING THE OLD WITH THE NEW.