Central Library Refurbishment

Manchester

The transformation of the Grade II* listed library is part of the wider refurbishment of Manchester’s town hall complex, widely regarded as one of the finest groups of civic buildings in the country. Manchester Central library opened its doors to the public again on Saturday 22 March 2014, after undergoing a transformation which took three and a half years. Previously only 30 per cent of the building was open to the public with 70 per cent behind the scenes. This imaginative redesign has opened up the library and reversed these ratios, meaning more space and more services. The transformed Central Library is now the most visited public library in the UK. It is a inclusive space, appealing to families, children, young people, aspiring entrepreneurs, people of all ages, city centre residents through to international visitors. Seven carried out Energy modelling analysis scenarios to develop a low energy strategy via passive and active measures that were sensitive to the Grade 1 status.