Architecture and Planning: Why Does Manchester Look Like It Does?

You need only glance at the skyline to know that Manchester’s a city in flux. In every direction, cranes are spinning the distance, bringing what was once dubbed ‘Cottonopolis’ ever closer to Manc-hattan.

But who pulls the strings behind the city’s architecture and planning? Who historically, and who presently, shapes what Manchester looks and feels like?

This Jonathan Schofield tour provides the answers.

Join a knowledgeable and experienced tour guide for a look at the architecture and planning of Manchester, how it evolved and what forces – industrial, commercial and social – created its look and feel. And how might this be changing as Manchester undergoes significant transformation?

This walking tour places you at the heart of some fascinating stories, which your guide will tell you as you visit a selection of Manchester’s most storied buildings and places.

Every tour presents something of a lucky dip, with different venues visited each time, but some potential locations are:

• The Royal Exchange
• Manchester Cathedral
• The Glade of Light memorial
• Chetham’s Library and School
• The CIS/CWS buildings
• Mackie Mayor
• The Daily Express building
• Halle St Peter’s
• Ancoats’ Mills

Expect each location to bring a different tale, with more in between as you snake your way through the city. The buildings, the pattern of the streets, the occasional gardens, the railways and the canals all tell their own peculiarly Manchester story, which your tour guide will bring to vivid life.

Expect tales of design, lack of design, accident, the pure profit motive and philanthropy, as well as many human stories of success and failure.

No matter how well you know Manchester, there’s much to be learned here.