MURRAY'S MILL - MANCHESTER
Value - 833k
Architect - Building Design Partnership
Builder - Wates Construction Ltd
Located in Ancoats Manchester, Murrays Mills were built by two brothers between 1797 and 1806 to house there textile business.
The mills were the largest steam powered spinning mills in the world, until the production ended in the 1950's. These building remanded largely empty until the mills were purchased by The North West Development Agency and leased to Acoats Building Preservation (ABPT) Trust to carry out the restoration of the buildings.
Under the guidance of the ABPT, Architects, Building Design Partnership (BDP) worked closley with REA Metal Windows to replicate the existing cast iron windows. Once Rea Metals modified W40 steel windows had been approved by English Heritage & ABPT; Rea Metal Windows were awarded the contract to replace all 500 windows by main contractor Wates.
The great majority of the windows were sub-divided in 36No. Individual double glazed units, incorporating an 18 pane horizontal pivot and a 18 pane fixed light.
REA Metal Windows steel windows package was single largest sub- contract package on the project. The works were completed within budget and on time & due to high level of workmanship by all, Ancoats Buildings Preservation Trust received a number of awards for their work on Murrays' Mills:
British Archaeological Award 2006, presented by The Association of Industrial Archaeology, for Murrays' Mills Permanent Repair Project
Chartered Institute of Building: Project Manager: Silver Award for conservation projects, 2006
The Northwest Building Conservation award 2007, awarded by The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)
Northwest Insider Regeneration Award in the 2007 Property Awards.
In the North West Regional Construction Awards 2007, Ancoats BPT, together with Wates Construction and BDP, won the Northwest Infrastructure Award for Murrays' Mills, jointly with New Islington.
BDP won the Institution of Structural Engineers North West Region Award for Best Sustainable Project 2007 for their work on Murrays' Mills.
Bernard Talbot, as construction project manager on Murrays' Mills won the silver award in the Chartered Institute of Builders conservation category, national awards, 2006
REA Metal Windows have recently been awarded a further phase of works on this project, with windows due to be installed during the spring of 2010.