Dezeen promotion: property developer Salboy has unveiled plans to convert the Victorian arches under the former Manchester Central railway station into luxury facilities for a new residential tower.
Salboy is working with Manchester-based architecture practice SimpsonHaugh on Viadux, a development that will create 399 one- and two-bedroom apartments over 40 storeys, as well as a separate office tower.
A swimming pool and spa will feature beneath the brick arches
The Grade II-listed arches will be transformed into high-end facilities for residents, including a swimming pool and spa, a lounge bar and a residents' entrance lobby featuring an aquarium.
Design studio Lister&Lister is designing the interiors. Visuals released by the developer show the brick vaults celebrated with atmospheric lighting and sensitive glazing details. Other facilities will include a residents' lounge bar
"The vaulted spaces are on a huge scale and are absolutely majestic," said Salboy co-founder Simon Ismail.
"We wanted to incorporate this historical element into the project and use them to create the most luxurious and unique facilities in the city."
The entrance lobby will feature an aquarium
The Viadux site has a rich history, having once been the location of a Roman settlement. Manchester Central opened on the site in 1880, with the brick vaults serving as the train line until the station's eventual closure in 1969.
"We have all this architectural history undergrou...