Mann Island Liverpool

Summary

Mann Island’s tectonic presence is defined by the massing of its two residential buildings: two monolithic sculptures faced in absolute black granite and black tinted glazing floating over double height clear glass podiums. Taken as a whole, these smooth black surfaces present a dramatic counterpoint to the visual intensity of the Pier Head buildings, while at the same time harmonizing with the surrounding dock water.

Glass

Toggled structurally sealed IGU to meet acoustic, barrier & visual considerations. The toughened glass had a strict roller wave requirement of less than 0.1mm & had to be Heat Soak tested.
The laminate internal panes incorporated a low E coating to improve the insulating properties of the argon filled units, where the laminate also blocks 99% of UV light, it also helped improve the acoustic performance of the IGU, an important design consideration considering the buildings city centre location.
Thermal safety & barrier design calculations were carried out to ensure the safe long term service of the IGU.

Details

The stunning waterside location overlooking the historic Albert Dock certainly gives Mann Island a degree of kudos. Not even those who created this stunning vision could have predicted the sheer impact the bold, angular form would have on people as it rose majestically from the ground. The animation and intrigue of the dark flush facades is further heightened by the glazing panels opening inwards, into an internal atrium that rises to the full height of the building.

And then at night everything changes: civic sculptures metamorphose into city centre apartments as residents within each block illuminate their homes. To maximize the impact of what appears from the outside to be a change in typology, the scheme’s external night-time illumination is restricted to, and around, the retail podiums further enhancing the ‘floating’ nature of the buildings above.

Whichever way you look at it, Liverpool has an unmistakable air of magic.

Awards

BREEAM
Block 3 – BREEAM Excellent accreditation