Linley House

Originally designed by Fairhursts in 1961, the newly refurbished Linley House has seen a complete transformation over three floors to provide a contemporary co-working environment, with a café, office and meeting spaces, changing facilities and collaborative breakout areas.

Prior to its 1960’s redesign, the building played a pivotal role in Manchester’s industrial narrative as its first and most influential power supply station.

This project aimed to project a sense of connection to this history, with a retro colour palette and an endearing quality that would attract small businesses looking for a stylish and invigorating place to work.

Chosen finishes such as original style terrazzo features, glazed tiles, ’60’s style pattern and upholstery fabrics, retro light fittings, dark walnut timbers, and anodised metals all reflect the heritage of the building, while upgrades to its technical and sustainability capabilities ensure modern workplace needs are met.

Over the three storeys, a balance of collaborative areas and more focused independent working zones is established to ensure these new facilities cater to all types of work, and flexible furnishings layouts allow these spaces to adapt to support these needs no matter who occupies the space.

By creating layouts that are effective and adaptable, business move-ins can be fast tracked to as little as 24 hours from enquiry, ensuring that operations can remain efficient with very little financial or time cost from the building’s management.

Linley House exemplifies the way that re-use projects can lower environmental impact through a mix of smart restoration and the addition of elements that meet modern sustainability benchmarks.

By retaining original materials and carefully selecting new cradle-to-grave products with great sustainability credentials, the project minimises waste and ensures the building maintains a high standard of eco-friendly practice.

Eco-friendly commuting options were also encouraged for this city by providing appetising cycle storage, drying rooms, and showers, supporting a reduced carbon footprint.