Site description
Piccadilly Gardens is a large civic square which was re-designed as part of the urban regeneration of the city of Manchester. Opened in May 2002, the gardens are now a much visited and utilised part of the urban landscape in the city centre.
Piccdailly Gardens, Manchester © Tim Townshend
Until the 1990’s the sunken Victorian gardens, located in the main commercial and shopping district of Manchester, were neglected and underused. They were seen as an example of bad design, a public place that encouraged crime and a space set apart from the city. Pressure was put on the public space by the transport infrastructure of the site and it was seen by local people as an area in decline.
The master plan for the re-design of Manchester city centre was underpinned by a vision to position Manchester as a regional capital in Europe. From the outset it was decided that the post-bomb re-design of Manchester city centre would be innovative and radical and do more than simply repair the damage that had been caused to the infrastructure of the city.
The public realm was a core part of the master plan, which was to be re-designed using the visual context of a cruciform, with routes running from east to west and north to south throughout the city.
Stunning elliptical fountains are a focal point of the gardens. Surrounded by informal seating, the fountains are visible both from the green spaces of the gardens and the grey spaces of the streets and buildings around them.
The remodelling of the gardens included the planting of semi-mature trees, a large area of lawn, a catwalk and criss-crossed paths that make the space accessible and functional.
Using Piccadilly Gardens as a teaching resource
Piccadilly Gardens can be used to support teaching and learning about:
- civic spaces and the urban public realm across a range of subjects at key stage 2 and 3
- well managed civic spaces and well designed public realm
- urban design and city centre renewal
- how design can relate to the infrastructure of a city, connecting green spaces with buildings and streets.
Suggested teaching activities
Key stage 3 – Design and technology Before the public space was re-designed, Piccadilly Gardens had attracted anti-social behaviour and were often seen as a no-go area of the city centre.
Imagine your class has been invited to be part of the design team working to re-generate part of your local area and design-out crime. Work in small groups to design a space that can help to create a sustainable neighbourhood and one which discourages crime. Look at facilities such as lighting, seating and access, to ensure that you create a safe and welcoming public space for everyone.
Key stage 3 – English
Piccadilly Gardens were re-designed following a terrorist bomb that struck in the heart of Manchester in 1996, damaging five listed buildings. The regeneration of the city that followed has been hailed as a great success, both by urban planners and the people of Manchester. Ask students to write an article about the opening night of the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester. Students should focus on how the games celebrated the re-opening of this vibrant public space and what it meant for the people of Manchester.
Key stage 2 – Geography
As a whole class, look at images of Piccadilly Gardens on an interactive whiteboard. Discuss the orientation of the gardens. Why might the designers have chosen to locate the water features where they have? How does the landscape relate to the streets and buildings in the surrounding area? Are the gardens designed to promote sustainability?
Aerial view - Piccadilly Gardens, Manchester © Tim Townshend
Architectural style
A contemporary public space designed by architect Tadao Ando and EDAW.
Quirky facts
- The gardens took two years to construct and were opened in July 2002 as part of Manchester’s host of the 2002 Commonwealth Games.
- A series of ‘floating’ oak benches have been placed in the gardens, designed to be used as informal seating areas.
- A light scheme, designed by Peter Finch animates Piccadilly Gardens throughout the night.
Site highlights
- A 130-metre long pavilion has been constructed at the south west of the gardens.
- At the northern edge of the gardens historic statues face on to the heart of the area that had been bombed in the 1990’s, now a newly pedestrianised area.
- London plane trees, an urban forest of oak and flowering pear encourage circulation in an area that had once been dominated by grey space and the Piccadilly transport interchange.
Region
North West
Location
Piccadilly Gardens
Central Manchester M1 1RG
School access
Piccadilly Gardens are open 24 hours a day and are fully accessible to everyone.
Further information and related resources
Go to the Visit Manchester website for images and further information on Piccadilly Gardens.
Visit the online virtual tour of Manchester on CUBE’s website.
The People’s History Museum run Manchester city trails for school students.
Sources
CABE case studies
Resource for Urban Design Information
Visit Manchester website
