Flanagan Lawrence has unveiled its winning design for a scheme to transform Salford’s Maxwell Hall for the University of Salford. The project will create a world-class music, conference and performance venue for both students and the wider community, while providing a landmark building along Salford Crescent and the A6 corridor.
Maxwell Hall is part of the ambitious £800m Salford Crescent Masterplan, jointly developed by the University of Salford and Salford City Council to outline the vision for a new city district in the heart of Salford.
Maxwell Hall has a rich history and is one of the cultural centrepieces of the university campus. It has hosted a range of acts including Blondie, The Smiths, Pulp and The Charlatans, and the aspiration is to attract artists of a similar calibre in the future, re-establishing Salford as a key destination for live music in the UK.
Huw Williams, COO at the University of Salford said,
“This is very exciting announcement for the University and the whole of the city. We are committed to bringing Maxwell Hall back to life, to create a vibrant space for the benefit of the whole community as well as our students.”
“As the centrepiece of our campus and with its proximity to the A6, the Salford Crescent Masterplan has identified the need to retain and redevelop Maxwell Hall as a cultural and performance venue for both students and the general public, as well as creating new spaces for conferences, events, short courses and executive education.”
“Maxwell Hall has a long and distinguished history of attracting a broad range of acts and talent from across the UK and we want to build on that. We are also aiming to attract significant and profitable conference and event business.”
Jason Flanagan, Director, Flanagan Lawrence, adds,
“Maxwell Hall has a great history as a music venue and we are excited to be a part of the University of Salford’s vision for its future redevelopment.”
The redeveloped hall will provide an ideal venue for industry collaboration, mainly but not exclusively, in the cultural industries. It will also provide an opportunity for students to work hands-on in event management, hospitality, front-of-house, sales & marketing, and customer care, as well as a wealth of roles associated with the production and delivery of cultural events including sound production, set design, performance and broadcasting.
The redevelopment of Maxwell Hall will add to a growing list of cultural assets in Salford, including successful arts venue Islington Mill, Sounds of the Other City music festival and the continued growth of the creative and digital sector at Salford Quays. Developing new cultural opportunities is at the heart of the Masterplan and the Salford Culture and Place Partnership – a collaboration between the University, The Lowry, the City Council and other partners – has been established to drive cultural activity and economic growth across the City.