Deansgate Square

Manchester towers

/ mikeosbornphoto / 2 Comments

I live in the shadow of Deansgate Square in Manchester, and it’s hard to ignore this quartet of skyscrapers. READ MORE BELOW

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I’ve watched these buildings slowly rise in the last few years, and now the South Tower is Manchester’s tallest, surpassing 1990s skyscraper Beetham Tower.

Deansgate Square can be seen across the city and beyond, spawning the terms Manctopia and Manchattan – the rapid development of a glitzy, high rise future for Manchester.

I see these buildings every day and have photographed them more and more while staying at home during the pandemic.

They catch different lights, reflect the sky and mirror the seasons. They’re not to everyone’s taste but I find them a source of constant interest and a firm fixture of the neighbourhood.

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Castlefield nights

/ mikeosbornphoto / 11 Comments

Lockdown has made photography a very local affair here in Castlefield, Manchester. Continue reading below

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I’ve ventured out with my camera only a few times since coronavirus pandemic restrictions were eased, swapping indoor projects for exploring the neighbourhood’s canals, industrial architecture and tramways. 

Some warm summer weather prompted some walks to capture fiery sunsets (and even a bright, prominent moon).

And one late night I prowled around the viaducts armed only with a wide aperture, dialled-up ISO and the the street lights for company.

Travel still seems a remote prospect, but at least Castlefield is rich in texture and interesting spaces.

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Manchester steel

/ mikeosbornphoto / 8 Comments

My camera stays at home during the coronavirus pandemic lockdown, but here’s a photo walk I took before the restrictions.

There’s no shortage of new glass and steel buildings in Manchester and I love photographing them.

Deansgate Square is a cluster of high rises that dominates my low-rise canal basin neighbourhood of Castlefield. 

If you cross the usually busy Mancunian Way into neighbouring Hulme, there’s the outstanding Brooks Building on Manchester Metropolitan University’s campus. It’s a latticework that catches the light and has countless angles. Modern marvel or a blot on the landscape?…

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The future of Manchester

/ mikeosbornphoto / 5 Comments

After taking you a long way away, it’s back to my home city of Manchester and right in the backyard.

I’ve lived in the canalside area of Castlefield for three years now, and have been watching huge changes take place. 

A cluster of high rise blocks called Deansgate Square has sprung up and dominates the immediate skyline, overlooking the neighbourhood. One of the towers is now the city’s tallest building. On a clear, sunny day I went out to photograph them and the nearby Axis tower, another new addition.

This is the story of Manchester’s city centre, where several skyscrapers are being constructed and planned in an incredible flurry of prestige developments. ‘Manchattan’ here we come!

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A golden dusk settles on the buildings of Castlefield. Deansgate Square, on the right, was not there when I first arrived. Beetham Tower, on the left, was once the area’s only high rise and Manchester’s tallest building. The cranes are the site of another high rise construction, while out of shot another two towers are quickly taking shape. The skyline is undoubtedly changing.