Sunlight House

Sunlight House was designed by the Manchester-based architect Joseph Sunlight (1889-1978). The building was a soaring architectural statement in an area dominated by low-rise buildings. When completed in 1932 it was the city’s tallest building reaching 200 feet from foundation to roof ridge.

The inspiration for Sunlight House, Manchester’s first skyscraper, came from American tall buildings and European modernist styles, with elements of classicism and Art Deco. It was Manchester’s first ever speculative commercial development, and built evidence of the controversial ambition of an audacious architect’s entrepreneurial vision.

The building remains an iconic symbol within Manchester, marking a pivotal moment in the cities history where Manchester began to establish itself as a leading commercial player on the world stage. The form, quality and positioning of the building marks Sunlight House as a unrivalled landmark within the city centre.

As a team we lead the development and asset management of this project, achieving a very ambitious planning application to reimagine this extraordinary workplace in Spinningfields.