Chinese Arts Centre
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Reworking of a Grade II-listed Victorian fish market building into a centre for contemporary Chinese arts, including a gallery, shop, tea house, artist studio and education facilities
The facility occupies the basement and ground floor of the grade II listed former Smithfield Market Building in Manchester’s Northern Quarter.
The centre caters for a diverse range of activities and includes a gallery, shop and tea house, an artist’s studio and sleeping area, resource centre and education/conference room. Flexibility of use is an important aspect in the project, the gallery ceiling contains 120 computer-controlled light fittings, allowing for many different lighting conditions, including use as a cinema.
Natural materials, often rich in colour, are drawn from Chinese cultural influences and are juxtaposed against the white plane minimalism of their surroundings.
The black zinc spine wall is a reference to the dark grey brickwork of Northern China; the walnut used within the café refers to the tea stained wood found in traditional Chinese Tea Houses; the main entrance is set behind a specially commissioned sliding screen of Chinese characters and the entrance sequence is influenced by the 'hutong' courtyard typologies found in mainland China.
Data
- Begun: Jun 2003
- Completed: Nov 2003
- Floor area: 570m2
- Sector: Arts and culture
- Total cost: £824,000
- Funding: Arts Council England lottery grant
- Tender date: Apr 2003
- Procurement: JCT Intermediate Form of Contract 1998
- Address: Market Buildings, 13 Thomas Street, Manchester, M4 1EU, United Kingdom
Professional Team
- Architect: OMI Architects
- Client: Chinese Arts Centre
- Development Consultant: Portico Housing
- Services engineer: Hulley & Kirkwood Consulting Engineers
- Structural engineer: Healey Brown Partnership
- Quantity surveyor: John Magnall Associates
- Main contractor: McGoff and Byrne
- Furniture design: Lin Jing
- Sliding gate design: Mary Tang and Peter Wilkinson
Suppliers
- Front entrance screens metalwork: C&C Baseline Engineering
- Roller shutters: Jades Doors
- Windows : Metal Casements
- Floor tiles: Domus Tiles
- Lighting: Zumtobel Staff Lighting
AJBL Sponsor
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