Design team chosen for revamped St Peter’s Square

MANCHESTER City Council has chosen a design team to revamp St Peter’s Square following an international competition.

The winning design by German landscape architect Latz + Partner is based on a design creating a wide, open square giving greater prominence to the surrounding buildings.

The square is being transformed and the cenotaph re-sited and placed on a plinth to make way for the Metrolink’s Second City Crossing, as well as the introduction of the new One St Peter’s Square and the refurbishment of the Central Library and Town Hall Extension.

The re-siting of the stop will also allow for the square to be opened out in front of Central Library, and a new Peterloo Memorial will also be included – plans for which are still being developed.

Meanwhile, the Library Walk area between Central Library and the Town Hall Extension will gain a new stainless steel entrance designed by Ian Simpson architects and an underground link. Both buildings will be able to be accessed both from the front and rear.

The design team will also comprise Arup Associates and Speirs and Major.

Sonja Hlawna, project lead for Latz + Partner said: “We feel honoured to have the task of turning Manchester’s vision to create a world-class space into reality. The redesign of St Peter’s Square is a crucial step in the Town Hall Complex transformation programme and we are convinced that the future square will constitute an outstanding place in the fabric of the city of Manchester.

“It is our ambition to make the square more generous while respecting the context to unlock its full potential.

Manchester City Council leader Sir Richard Leese said: “St Peter’s Square is an important public space which has not been living up to anything like its full potential.

“But we believe the regenerated square will be a symbol of both the city’s heritage and its growing international standing – somewhere Manchester and Mancunians can be proud of.

“It will provide a high quality setting for the Town Hall and Central Library and support other investment in the Civic Quarter, which will be vitally important to the city’s growth over the coming years.”