They said it couldn’t be built…
Axis sits at the confluence of a major crossroads, the Rochdale Canal, Central Station, elevated trainlines and Victorian undercroft structures.
Springing from a tiny triangular site, the building cantilevers out on raking concrete columns. The facades are clad in flush detailed metal cladding. Iridescent panels rise in line with windows, drawing the eye up to the sky. The slender tower is intentionally extrovert in form, contrasted by pin sharp detailing
Access is via a new bridge over the canal leading to a double height reception space. The reception is defined by a single cruciform concrete column supporting the 27 floors at the prow of the building – celebrating the primary form of construction.
Property Alliance Group
£30 million
172 Residential Units
The building form is defined by the bottom, middle and top.
The bottom of the tower relates to the immediate context. An entrance bridge and exposed concrete structure contribute positively to the street. The middle of the tower contains the main residential programme sandwiched between two metal clad planes facing the Rochdale Canal and Trafford Street. At the top of the building the metal cladding passes past the roof creating a crown to the top of the tower. Raked cladding together with windows which intensify towards the sky imply movement across the facade.
Expressive structure internally and externally is a fundamental part of the building’s identity. The building’s height (92.6m from lower ground level) represents the limits of engineering achievable from the site.
