Synopsis
The Lowry is one of Britain's twelve landmark projects for the Millennium, and is commonly regarded as a triumph of civic will and enterprise. The Michael Wilford building now sits majestically on Salford Quays, overlooking the Manchester Ship Canal, and reflecting the light from its now unpolluted waters. It is surrounded by one of the most astonishing areas of urban regeneration and activity in Europe. A vast array of performing and visual arts is offered in its two theatres and numerous galleries, including a large permanent collection of Lowry's work. In his perceptive and highly readable narrative, Jeremy Myerson, the distinguished commentator on design and architecture, describes the process of the creation of this complex and important project. The book is fully illustrated with archival material, designs and drawings, and the exceptional photography of Len Grant, who has generated a spectacular series of images as the project has been brought from being a deep and muddy hole in the ground to being a fully functioning major arts centre. Most of all, this book is about design management and its challenges.
Treating this enormous project as a paradigm, the author discusses the work of the architects, engineers, consultants, acousticians, theatre designers, gallery designers and graphic designers, and the way in which their work had to be co-ordinated and inspired by a central management with a clear idea of the final result to be achieved. The entire process is examined, creating an invaluable record of decisions and creative ideas that have gone into turning an initial thought (famously visualised for Salford City Council as the Albert Hall on Salford Quays) into an active centre for the arts housed in a magnificent building. This beautifully presented book presents the workings of a fascinating process: the creation, from scratch, of a true landmark that will for many years to come act as a major catalyst in the process of urban renewal, and as a major cultural venue.
