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At a height of {{convert|168|m|ft}}, it is the [[List of tallest buildings and structures in Manchester|tallest skyscraper in Manchester]], it overtook the [[CIS Tower|CIS Solar Tower]] in 2006. In addition, the Beetham Tower is the tallest building in the United Kingdom outside of London, and overall the eighth-tallest building in the UK. The skyscraper is visible from 10 [[Counties of England|English counties]] on a clear day and is the tallest residential building in the country.<ref name="howwebuilt">{{cite web |title=How We Built Britain |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/manchester/content/articles/2007/06/06/060607_beetham_feature.shtml |publisher=bbc.co.uk |date=18 September 2007}}</ref>
At a height of {{convert|168|m|ft}}, it is the [[List of tallest buildings and structures in Manchester|tallest skyscraper in Manchester]], it overtook the [[CIS Tower|CIS Solar Tower]] in 2006. In addition, the Beetham Tower is the tallest building in the United Kingdom outside of London, and overall the eighth-tallest building in the UK. The skyscraper is visible from 10 [[Counties of England|English counties]] on a clear day and is the tallest residential building in the country.<ref name="howwebuilt">{{cite web |title=How We Built Britain |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/manchester/content/articles/2007/06/06/060607_beetham_feature.shtml |publisher=bbc.co.uk |date=18 September 2007}}</ref>


It consists of a [[Hilton Hotel]] up to level 22 and a noticeable [[cantilever]] marks level 23 where there is a bar called ''Cloud 23''. Above this there are apartments from level 25 up to the triplex [[penthouse apartment|penthouse]] on level 47.<ref name="bbc_height">{{cite news | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/4944590.stm | title = City building reaches full height | publisher = BBC News | date=26 April 2006 | accessdate=2008-02-23}}</ref> It is one of the thinnest skyscrapers in the world<ref name="howwebuilt"/> and was deliberately designed to be a slender tower.<ref name="simpsoninterview">{{Cite news |title=Video interview with Ian Simpson about the Hilton Tower |url=http://www.beethamtower.org/manchester/video-interview-ian-simpson-hilton-tower.html |work=Beetham Tower |accessdate=2011-12-14}}</ref> It is also known for its intermittent hum in windy weather, which has been heard as far away as [[Hulme]] in the past.<ref>{{Cite news |title=70mph winds, driving rain, delays on the M60 and Beetham Tower howling: Welcome back to work |url=http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1469412_70mph-winds-driving-rain-delays-on-the-m60-and-beetham-tower-howling-welcome-back-to-work |newspaper=Manchester Evening News |date=3 January 2012 |accessdate=2012-01-03}}</ref>
It consists of a [[Hilton Hotel]] up to level 22 and a noticeable [[cantilever]] marks level 23 where there is a bar called ''Cloud 23''. Above this there are apartments from level 25 up to the triplex [[penthouse apartment|penthouse]] on level 47.<ref name="bbc_height">{{cite news | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/4944590.stm | title = City building reaches full height | publisher = BBC News | date=26 April 2006 | accessdate=2008-02-23}}</ref> It is one of the thinnest skyscrapers in the world<ref name="howwebuilt"/> and was deliberately designed to be a slender tower.<ref name="simpsoninterview">{{Cite news |title=Video interview with Ian Simpson about the Hilton Tower |url=http://www.beethamtower.org/manchester/video-interview-ian-simpson-hilton-tower.html |work=Beetham Tower |accessdate=2011-12-14}}</ref> It is also known for its intermittent hum in windy weather, which is often heard in Hulme [[Hulme]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=70mph winds, driving rain, delays on the M60 and Beetham Tower howling: Welcome back to work |url=http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1469412_70mph-winds-driving-rain-delays-on-the-m60-and-beetham-tower-howling-welcome-back-to-work |newspaper=Manchester Evening News |date=3 January 2012 |accessdate=2012-01-03}}</ref> but has been heard as far as Whalley Range, Old Trafford, Monton, Chorlton, Salford and 5 miles away. <ref>http://twitter.com/#!/search/beethamtower |accessdate=2012-01-05</ref>. Recordings<ref>http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1469701_beetham-tower-howls-again-after-another-windy-night-in-manchester</ref> have been made of the B (flat) noise, the level recorded at 78 dB<ref>http://twitter.com/#!/stjackson/status/154237860109754368/photo/1</ref>.


== Architecture ==
== Architecture ==

Revision as of 12:14, 5 January 2012

For other buildings with the name "Beetham Tower", see Beetham Tower (disambiguation).
Beetham Tower
The Hilton
Map
General information
StatusCompleted
TypeHotel, residential, office[1]
Location301–303 Deansgate, Manchester, England
Construction started2004
Completed2006[2][3]
Cost£150 million[4]
Height
Antenna spireTo glass façade overrun: 168.87 m (554.0 ft)[3]
Roof157 m (515 ft)
Technical details
Floor count48
Floor area485,000 square feet (45,100 m2)
Lifts/elevators8[1]
Design and construction
Architect(s)Ian Simpson Architects[4]
DeveloperBeetham Organization[4]
Structural engineerWSP Group
Main contractorCarillion[4]
References
[1][5]

Beetham Tower (also referred to as the Hilton Tower[6]) is a landmark 47-storey mixed use skyscraper in Manchester city centre, England. Completed in 2006, it is named after the developers, Beetham Organization, was designed by Ian Simpson, and built by Carillion.[4]

At a height of 168 metres (551 ft), it is the tallest skyscraper in Manchester, it overtook the CIS Solar Tower in 2006. In addition, the Beetham Tower is the tallest building in the United Kingdom outside of London, and overall the eighth-tallest building in the UK. The skyscraper is visible from 10 English counties on a clear day and is the tallest residential building in the country.[7]

It consists of a Hilton Hotel up to level 22 and a noticeable cantilever marks level 23 where there is a bar called Cloud 23. Above this there are apartments from level 25 up to the triplex penthouse on level 47.[3] It is one of the thinnest skyscrapers in the world[7] and was deliberately designed to be a slender tower.[8] It is also known for its intermittent hum in windy weather, which is often heard in Hulme Hulme.[9] but has been heard as far as Whalley Range, Old Trafford, Monton, Chorlton, Salford and 5 miles away. [10]. Recordings[11] have been made of the B (flat) noise, the level recorded at 78 dB[12].

Architecture

The Beetham Tower is one of the slimmest skyscrapers in the world with a height to width ratio of 1:10.[5]

Form

The skyscraper is rectangular in form, with a notable width façade and length façade which is longer in diameter. This owes to the building's narrow site plot on Deansgate, hence the rectangular form to increase size. On the 23rd storey of the Tower, the skyscraper is designed with the notable use of cantilever, which projects the skyscraper outwards by four metres.[5] This technique increases space as well as giving the Beetham Tower definition. On the roof of the Tower, a glass overrun was added purely for embellishment. Because the skyscraper is a curtain wall structure which is clad in glass, design elements were added to counter excessive light. Louvres on the south facing windows of the skyscraper allow for the control of daylight and sunlight into the interior of the skyscraper.[13] Likewise, on the west and east facing side of the skyscraper, white aluminium strips which are noticeable from ground level provide further shading from the sun.[13]

Location

Located along Deansgate at the junction with Great Bridgewater Street and Liverpool Road, it has 47 floors and is 168.87 metres (554 ft) in height, making it the tallest building in the UK outside London, the UK's 8th tallest building and the tallest residential development in Europe.[6] It is the tallest building in Manchester, having overtaken the CIS Tower. In comparison, the UK's tallest building, One Canada Square, is 235 metres (771 ft) tall.[3]

Interior

Excessive sunlight preventions
The glass curtain wall led to design features which reduced excessive sunlight. Louvres negate excessive sunlight from the south.
Aluminium strips on the west and east side deflect excessive sunlight.

The tower contains a four-star 279 bedroom Hilton Hotel[4] for the first 22 floors. The 23rd floor is deeper than those below by 4m, and has two glass windows in the floor, offering views down to the ground from the skybar Cloud 23,[14] which is the only skybar in Manchester. The floor also has a bar and lounge, both operated by Hilton.[6] From the 25th to 47th floors, the tower is occupied by residential apartments.[15]

As part of the project, a 12-storey office block is due to be constructed adjacent to the tower,[4] with 6,506 square metres of floor space.[16] The hotel also has a 4-storey annex, containing a swimming pool, ballroom, conference rooms and coffee shop.[14]

The architect, Ian Simpson, bought and resides in the top floor penthouse,[17] which is the highest living space in Britain. It cost him £3 million.[14] The residence occupies the top two storeys of the building[6] and features a semi-indoors garden containing 21 four-metre high olive, lemon and oak trees, shipped from Italy, and placed before the roof was built.

The tower offers views of the set of Coronation Street, and on a clear day it is also possible to see Liverpool, the mountains of Snowdonia, the Pennines mountain range, the Peak District, Liverpool Cathedral,[18] Blackpool Tower,[3] much of the Cheshire Plain, the Lovell Telescope at Jodrell Bank Observatory, City of Manchester Stadium, MEN Arena, Old Trafford, The Lowry and Blackpool Pleasure Beach.[18]

History

Construction

The site was originally occupied by a redundant section of railway viaduct.[16] Beetham Organization submitted a planning application to Manchester City Council in July 2003 and planning permission for the development was given in October 2003.[1] There were high hopes for the skyscraper which would be another part of Manchester's regeneration,[19] and by the end of 2003 before construction had even started, 206 of the 219 apartments had already been pre-sold, as well as 4 of the 16 penthouses.[20] Ground began at the beginning of 2004 and building began in April 2004[21], with the twin cores of the building were above ground level at the end of August 2004. One of the two cores reached a height of 125 m at the end of July 2005, at which point the building became the tallest UK skyscraper outside of London.[16]

The Beetham Hilton Tower was built entirely using post-tensioned flat slab concrete construction[22] and was the first building in the UK to use the Doka SKE 100 automatic climbing system and trapezoidal windshield.[23] Approximately 57,000 tonnes of concrete and 6,000 glass panes for the curtain wall structure were required for construction.[24]

The tower had its official "topping-out" ceremony on 26 April 2006.[24] Local wind conditions dictated that the building's height had to be reduced by a little more than 2 metres (6.6 ft) from its originally planned height of 171 metres (561 ft).[3] The hotel opened and received its first guests on 9 October 2006, and the first apartment residents moved in during 2007.[citation needed] The skyscraper cost £150 million to construct.[4]

  • May 2005
    May 2005
  • September 2005
    September 2005
  • October 2005
    October 2005
  • February 2006
    February 2006
  • April 2006 - topping out
    April 2006 - topping out

Opening

An unintentional consequence of the skyscraper has been an intermittent 'hum' which can be heard during wind weather and is believed the 'hum' results from the glass "blade" on the roof. The 'hum' has been heard from about 300 metres away by passers-by on Deansgate.[25] The sound is close to standard musical pitch of B3 (approximately 246.94 Hertz); some say it is like a "UFO landing" in sci-fi films.[26] The noise affected the production of local soap opera, Coronation Street with producers having to create extra background noise as the tower is close to the show's set.[27] Repair work to reduce or eradicate the 'hum' has taken place in 2007, 2008 and most recently in 2010.[28] These repeated works have been unsuccessful[29].

On 11 September 2008 a piece of glass had a fault and cracked; the street below was cordoned off for several hours until the matter was resolved. There were reports the project was commercially suffering due to the UK's 2008 housing market slowdown. One newspaper report stated that (as of September 2008) 55 of 219 apartments were waiting to be let and a further 30 were unsold.[30] At September 2010, the Manchester rental market has improved considerably and only 2 apartments of the total 219 in the building are unoccupied as they await interior fit-out.

During the early hours of 29 January 2009 a fire broke out on the 31st floor. A partial evacuation of the complex took place and the fire was brought under control within one hour. Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service are yet to produce a final investigation report into the cause of the blaze, which left one apartment uninhabitable. On 14 February 2011 the company that operated the Hilton Hotel, Beetham Hotels Manchester Ltd, went into administration.[31] Later in the year, the hotel was sold to Cypriot businessman Loucas Louca.[32]

In popular culture

The Beetham Tower has been featured in television programmes such Vertical City (2007) for More 4[33] and Britain From Above for BBC One (2008).[34] The skyscraper is depicted in the opening titles of Mancunian drama The Street and the Manchester sequence of ITV's England football coverage alongside the Manchester Civil Justice Centre and The Haçienda.

See also

  • No. 1 Deansgate, another glass residential building on the same road, also designed by Ian Simpson
  • Habitat Sky, a similar skyscraper in Barcelona
  • Piccadilly Tower, a similar hotel/residential skyscraper proposed in Manchester

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Beetham Tower". Emporis. Retrieved 2011-12-14.
  2. ^ "Work starts on luxury high rise". BBC News. 28 April 2004. Retrieved 2008-02-23.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "City building reaches full height". BBC News. 26 April 2006. Retrieved 2008-02-23.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h "Beetham Tower Manchester". SkyScraperNews. 14 February 2008. Retrieved 2008-02-23.
  5. ^ a b c "Beetham Tower". skyscrapercity.com. 27 April 2010. Retrieved 2011-12-14.
  6. ^ a b c d "Information about the Beetham Tower Manchester". Retrieved 2008-10-13.
  7. ^ a b "How We Built Britain". bbc.co.uk. 18 September 2007.
  8. ^ "Video interview with Ian Simpson about the Hilton Tower". Beetham Tower. Retrieved 2011-12-14.
  9. ^ "70mph winds, driving rain, delays on the M60 and Beetham Tower howling: Welcome back to work". Manchester Evening News. 3 January 2012. Retrieved 2012-01-03.
  10. ^ http://twitter.com/#!/search/beethamtower |accessdate=2012-01-05
  11. ^ http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1469701_beetham-tower-howls-again-after-another-windy-night-in-manchester
  12. ^ http://twitter.com/#!/stjackson/status/154237860109754368/photo/1
  13. ^ a b "Beetham Tower, Manchester brochure" (PDF). beetham.eu. Retrieved 2011-12-15.
  14. ^ a b c "Beetham Tower Manchester Celebrates Top Out". SkyScraperNews. 27 April 2006. Retrieved 2008-02-23.
  15. ^ "Information about the Hilton Hotel in the Beetham Tower". Retrieved 2008-10-13.
  16. ^ a b c "Beetham Reaches New Heights In Manchester". SkyScraperNews. 1 August 2005. Retrieved 2008-02-23.
  17. ^ CustomControls - Crestron Installation in the Beetham Tower
  18. ^ a b "Landmarks to see from the Beetham Tower in Manchester". Retrieved 2008-10-23.
  19. ^ "High hopes for 'prestigious' flats". BBC News. 23 July 2003. Retrieved 2011-12-15.
  20. ^ "Green light for high living". BBC News. 27 October 2003. Retrieved 2008-02-23.
  21. ^ "Work starts on luxury high rise". BBC News. 28 April 2004. Retrieved 2011-12-15.
  22. ^ "A Guide to Civil Engineering in Manchester". Retrieved 2008-03-25.
  23. ^ Seers, Richard (2005). "Keeping Beetham Tower on target". Concrete. Retrieved 2008-03-26. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  24. ^ a b "Beetham Tower lights up the sky". Manchester Evening News. 27 April 2006. Retrieved 2011-12-15.
  25. ^ "Video: Roof blown off Oldham rugby union clubhouse as gales batter Greater Manchester". Manchester Evening News. 8 December 2011. Retrieved 2011-12-14.
  26. ^ "Buildings that whistle in the wind". New Scientist Tech. 4 August 2006.
  27. ^ "Tower blows the whistle on Corrie". Manchester Evening News. 24 May 2006. Retrieved 2011-12-14.
  28. ^ McKeegan, Alice (11 February 2010). "Repairs to silence 'whistling' Beetham Tower". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 2011-12-14.
  29. ^ http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1469412_70mph-winds-driving-rain-delays-on-the-m60-and-beetham-tower-howling-welcome-back-to-work
  30. ^ Jamieson, Alastair (27 September 2008). "Britain suffering from a buy-to-let blowout". Daily Telegraph.
  31. ^ Barns, Kat (18 February 2011). "Administrators called in at Beetham's Manchester and Liverpool hotel firms". my-hospitality.com.
  32. ^ Harmer, Janet. "Tags: Two Beetham Group hotels are sold". Caterer and Hotelkeeper. Reed Business Information. Archived from the original on 2011-11-28. Retrieved 2011-11-28.
  33. ^ "Beetham Tower on Vertical City, Channel 4". beethamtower.org. Retrieved 2011-12-12.
  34. ^ "New Manchester". BBC. Retrieved 2011-12-14.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Beetham Tower.
Records
Preceded by Tallest Building in Manchester
2006—Present
169m 		Succeeded by
None
Preceded by Tallest Building outside London, UK
2006—Present
169m 		Succeeded by
None
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