David Williams, Head of our Property Management team in the North, reveals his favourite building in Manchester.

Bahrain World Trade Centre and Grand Central Station in New York

I have a few favourite buildings. I worked in the Middle East for several years managing the Bahrain World Trade Centre and that’s a really impressive building. As too is Grand Central Station in New York, but looking closer to home, my favourite building would have to be The Beetham Tower in Manchester.

Eye catching building

Beetham Tower was built in 2006 and designed by Mancunian, Ian Simpson. It’s one of the most eye catching buildings in Manchester, which isn’t really surprising as its 551ft high and made from glass and steel. Commonly known as the Hilton tower, the building is not only the tallest skyscraper in Manchester, but also one of the tallest in the UK, outside of London and in Europe.

Built on a redundant railway viaduct site supported by English Heritage

The land which the Beetham Tower was built on used to be a redundant section of railway viaduct. But with the support of English Heritage, a planning application was approved as part of Manchester’s regeneration at a cost of £150 million. Now it is home to Hilton guests and 16 luxury penthouses owners.

Design statement

It’s the epitome of modern architecture – sleek, minimalistic and impactful. You can tell its design has been very carefully considered and it’s been created not just for a particular purpose but also as a statement

Icon of British architecture

I usually prefer older buildings for their character and history, but I think it’s vital that we keep striving to create icons of British architecture, such as the Beetham Tower. The reason I like it isn’t just because it’s the most impressive and striking building on the Manchester skyline, but also because it’s so different from the perception many have of the ‘industrial north’.