Capital & Centric has announced a partnership with Wigan Council to repurpose an imposing modernist concrete building in the town centre.
The partnership to restore and repurpose the former civic centre owned by the council is part of a post-Covid drive to create standout, design-led offices in Greater Manchester’s towns, providing businesses with a cost-effective alternative to a city centre base.
It will be Capital & Centric’s first foray into Wigan.Â
Plans for the space will be geared toward delivering incubator spaces for start-ups, co-working and small businesses, alongside larger spaces, coffee shops, outdoor decking and a roof garden.Â
Early ideas also include a double-height entrance highlighting the building’s concrete “bones”, as well as new planting.
John Moffat, joint managing director of Capital & Centric, said: “Who says Manchester has to have the monopoly on cool work spaces?
“Post-pandemic, people are reassessing where they want to work, and this space could easily provide a base for ambitious and creative start-ups that want a cost-effective alternative to the city centre or somewhere closer to home.Â
“We’re suckers for a restoration. We have as much respect for these bold 1970s creations as we do the majestic mills that have a hundred years on them. They’re part of the architectural narrative of the nation and – at a time when loads of these mid-century concrete buildings are being flattened – it’s important we preserve what we can.
“The bones of the civic centre are solid, it just needs some vision to create the next chapter. We want to prove we can deliver one of the best office spaces outside of Manchester, with creative spaces where people want to hang out, greenery and sensitive design that elevates the original features.”
The modernist building on Wigan’s Millgate was originally unveiled by the town’s mayor John Farrimond in 1970. Capital & Centric plans to restore it in two phases, boasting 32,000 sq ft of workspace once complete.Â
A planning application expected to be submitted later this year.
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