Viadux Phase Two A, UK’s tallest building outside of London

Plans are underway for the construction of Viadux Phase Two A, a 76-storey/241-meter building in Manchester, that will become the tallest building outside of London and the third tallest in the whole of the UK.

To become the tallest building in Manchester, the Viadux Phase Two A will overtake South Tower, a 67 storey/201 meters tall building on Deansgate Square, that has held the title since 2018. The tallest building currently in the UK is the 72-storey/309.6 meters Shard in Southwark located in London, followed by the 62 storeys/ 278 meters 22 Bishopsgate or rather Twentytwo also located in London.

Initially, Viadux phase two A was set to be a 263,000 sq ft 15-storey office building. However, in 2022 it was reported that the developer was contemplating swapping out the office element in favor of more homes. True to the company’s vision, the Viadux phase two A is now proposed to have approximately 780 apartments.

A part of the 2nd phase of the Viadux project

Viadux Phase Two A is being developed by Salboy and Domis Construction as part of Viadux, a residential development coming up in the Castlefield area of Manchester, England. To be precise Viadux Phase Two A is part of the second phase of Viadux development that also includes the construction of a 23-storey building that will have a total of 133 affordable homes.

Reportedly, the UK’s tallest building outside of London will create an elegant silhouette that will become an iconic feature in the Manchester city skyline. The inclined faces of the building’s façade will catch the light differently, creating a dynamic response to changes in light conditions resulting from the time of day/year, weather conditions or viewer’s perspective.

Due to the building’s height, a transfer truss will be used to minimize intervention to the viaduct structure and to lift the building above the podium.

The 23-storey affordable housing building on the other hand has been designed to maximize the site footprint by fitting closely to the edge of the viaduct structure, bringing new life to this unfinished and logistically challenging site. The building will sit beneath the Beetham Tower Cloud 23 Bar & Restaurant, ensuring that views from the residential apartments above are uninterrupted.

The 1st phase of the Viadux development

Including the construction of a 375-apartment, 40-storey building on the former Bauer Millet site off Albion Street, the 1st phase of the Viadux development is currently ongoing and it is set to be completed in 2024.

According to the developer, upon completion, this phase will create a significant number of high-quality homes to help meet the growing housing demand within the Manchester city centre. In addition to the residential apartments, this phase will feature high-quality, internal and external residential amenity spaces that will help create a sense of place on the previously vacant site.

As part of the project, the developer will also improve pedestrian access and help create a safe and welcoming environment for residents, workers and visitors to the area.