ArchiPhonic instructed on Chicago Building interior design phase

ArchiPhonic has been instructed to complete the interior design phase of the Chicago Building’s renovation, for which it secured planning permission earlier this year.

Planning to create five studio, 12 one-bedroom and seven two-bedroom apartments across four floors, all located around an existing atrium, was agreed in February.

After working with the Liverpool-based architectural design practice on the 17,000 sq ft scheme’s earlier phase, property owners Sara and Hossein Asset Holdings invited the team back to complete interior design proposals for the prominent building, which is situated in the heart of the city’s retail quarter and borders the heritage area of Matthew Street and Castle Street conservation area.

Strip-out is set to begin and the team will be working with project managers and cost consultants LXA, who will be managing the project.

Architect Harriet Powell-Hall, from ArchiPhonic, said: “As the strip-out begins we’ll be able to get to the bones of the building and understand it on a deeper level, which will inform our interior design proposals.

“Our intention is to work with the fabric of the building – the steel beams and exposed brick – and enhance what is there, to create a positive experience for future residents, offering a bigger mix of unit types, better circulation and far more natural light.”

Referencing the Chicago Building’s place in the city’s heritage, as the former location of Hessy’s Music Centre where The Beatles once bought their instruments, Harriet added: “We will also seek to identify ways to maintain and reference its musical heritage and its connections to the wider history of the city.”

Work on the building will be predominantly internal, with the facade being retained to maintain the building’s heritage and preserve the area’s character and appearance.

Mahmoud Shahi from Sara and Hossein Asset Holdings, said: “We are pleased to be progressing to the next phase of this exciting project.

“ArchiPhonic’s hard work in securing planning permission and the team’s understanding of the building and our objectives meant they were the obvious choice for us when considering who to appoint to undertake the interior design phase. We’re looking forward to working together again.”

Jo Hallam, head of LXA Manchester, said: “It is fabulous to be working with ArchiPhonic on the renovation of such an important city centre property, and exactly the type of project we are targeting as we look to attain our position as a dominant project management force in the city.”