CHIPS - RESIDENTIAL COMPLEX -

MANCHESTER

Commissioned by Urban Splash in 2002, Chips presents the first new apartments for sale in New Islington and was inspired by three fat chips piled on top of one another. The building comprises three equal height, new build masses (Chips) approximately 100m long by 14m wide, stacked and staggered to create an elevated ground floor and eight levels comprising 142 one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments. 

The building is clad in a composite wall covered with newspaper print - text that echoes the industrial heritage of the Ancoats area. The design provides a mix of living and studio units and commercial space within a single project. The project combines design with technological innovation while embracing key concepts of sustainability, and integration into the urban landscape. 

The building's apartment types range from studio spaces to three-bed apartments. There is also a variety of differing external balconies. The apartments can be open plan or sub-divided by the use of large folding screens and are planned internally around a central 'pod' unit, which houses the bathroom and kitchen areas. 

The scheme achieves a BREEAM Eco-Homes Excellent rating, conforms to the Manchester Methodist Housing Trust scheme's stringent development standards and also meets the Sustainability guidelines as set out by the UK Homes and Communities agency as a part of the 'millennium community' programme. 

Photo credits: ALL Design