Midland Hotel Manchester and Modern Glass, Peter Street

8 October 2019 · Manchester

Peter Street frames one of Manchester's clearest architectural arguments: the Midland Hotel's terracotta Gothic Revival facade — ornate gables, clock tower, warm red brick catching the last of the golden-hour light — set directly against the curved glass curtain-wall of its modern neighbour. The juxtaposition is too clean to be accidental. Victorian confidence built in stone; contemporary confidence built in reflection. The two read as a dialogue rather than a collision, and the clear blue sky above gives neither side the dramatic advantage.