‘Diverse City’ Architecture Towards a New Manchester

Part 1: Castlefield Gallery 15th October – 20th November
Part 2: Manhattan Loft Building 17th October – 20th November

“Cities ought to be places of culture, civilised and enlightened, but also lively and diverse, even fun. Manchester cannot afford not to invest in culture, in street life, and in the public realm. Investing in culture is investing in urban life”. (Manchester First, Manchester City Council Arts and Cultural Strategy; Urban Cultures 1992.)

As we approach the millennium, Manchester aims to be a major European centre. In common with its continental counterparts, the city is set on developing an environment that may be fully enjoyed by its citizens as a place to live, relax and work – a safe, attractive and prosperous 24 hour city.

It has been proven through European and American examples that a healthy creative network of architects, artists and designers is absolutely essential if this is to be achieved.

‘Diverse City’ Part 1, Castlefield Gallery’s 2nd architecture exhibition, is a collaborative exhibition between Manchester’s young and innovative architects and artists, responding together to the Cultural Strategy. It focuses on the process of creative collaboration and its potential to produce innovative and exciting proposals for both individual buildings and wider strategic approaches to planning issues.

Part 2, of the Exhibition brings Diversity of the City “into action” when two innovative, Manchester-based artists – Mick Robertson and David Mackintosh – take residence in the Manhattan Loft Building at 42/44 Sackville Street. Also on show, in what was once an imposing cotton warehouse, will be photographs by Jonathan Keenan. The building was selected as a venue fir Part 2 in light of the important role it is playing to regenerate urban life and bring people back to the heart of the city.

‘Diverse City’ spotlights the potential of a creative network to make positive contributions to the renewal of our city centre. A cottage industry of small businesses that, through strength in numbers, becomes a force for real change.

Above all, we aim to increase awareness that the future of this city depends upon a richly vibrant and multi-faceted metropolitan core.

The exhibitions are being sponsored by Manhattan Loft Corporation Ltd and supported by RIBA, CT Reprographics and Proctor and Lavender.