Rem Koolhaas/OMA to design proposed Manchester Arts Centre, "The Factory"

The Manchester City Council announced on Wednesday that Rem Koolhaas/OMA will design The Factory, the proposed £110 million (approx. US$166.3 million) Manchester Arts Centre in England. Koolhaas won the commission in an international design competition over fellow starchitects including Zaha Hadid, Mecanoo, Grimshaw Architects, Rafael Viñoly, DS+R, and Haworth Tompkins.

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Named after the Manchester-based record label, The Factory is described as a cutting-edge, flexible cultural institution that will be recognized worldwide, and will also be a major component in the cultural redevelopment of the city. Previously, Chancellor George Osborn invested £78 million (approx. US$117.2 million) to finance construction costs, while the city council would need to raise an additional £32 million, with 'as little as possible' coming from taxpayers, according to a report from The Guardian this past July. Most recently, Osborn pledged a £9 million per year revenue funding for 2018-19.

Situated at the former Granada TV headquarters on Quay Street, construction of The Factory is slated to begin next year and will be completed in 2019 — if all goes smoothly. The venue will be able to host a variety of art events and performances including music, dance, film, TV, theater, technology, and more.

h/t The Guardian