Search full image library
Enter words, names or reference numbers. This opens Alamy results in a new tab.
Other languages and quick categories
Search HotpixUK images in Spanish, French, German, Italian, or English. Use the dropdown for shortcuts.
Search Solar-PV in other languages
Search All in French
FR Solar-PV,
Search All German
DE Solar-PV,
Search All Italian
IT Solar-PV,
Search All Spanish
ES Solar-PV,
Back to all images preview
Description
Keywords: Manchester,city,centre,Greater,England,UK,tower,offices,office,block,building,solar,panel,clad,service,skyscraper,on,Co-operative Insurance Society (CIS) by architects Gordon Tait and G.,architect,architects,Co-operative Wholesale Society,CWS,coop,M60,M60 0AL,history,historic,architecture,town,cities,towers,impressive,skyline,cityscape,sky line,towering,PV,panels
Description: Tony Smith image Alamy 2JTD30P - The CIS Tower is an office skyscraper on Miller Street in Manchester, England. Designed for the Co-operative Insurance Society (CIS) by architects Gordon Tait and G. S. Hay, the building was completed in 1962 and rises to 118 m (387 feet) in height. As of 2022, the Grade II listed building is Manchester's 10th-tallest building and the second-tallest office building in the United Kingdom outside London after City Tower. The tower remained as built for over 40 years, until maintenance issues on the service tower required an extensive renovation, which included covering its façade in photovoltaic panels.
The tower is situated on Miller Street, which forms the Manchester Inner Ring Road, and stands adjacent to New Century House, a high-rise office building also designed by Gordon Tait and G. S. Hay and constructed concurrently for the CIS's parent company, the Co-operative Wholesale Society (CWS)
The office tower building rises above a five-storey podium block. Each of the podium floors is 75 m × 55 m (246 ft × 180 ft), providing 4,125 m2 (44,400 sq ft) floor space per storey. Each office floor in the tower is 18 m × 44 m (59 ft × 144 ft), creating 727 m2 (7,830 sq ft) floor space per storey. The tower element consists of the steel-framed main office building and a windowless reinforced concrete service tower. The service tower rises higher than the main office block and houses lifts and stairwells.
The building has a symmetrical plan, with the main tower rising up from the north-eastern end of the podium block and projecting at the front over the first two floors and the main entrance. The service tower is attached to the centre of the main tower's south-west side, forming a squat T-shape. In total, the building has 388,000 sq ft (36,000 m2) of floor area, with clear open spaces on the office floors.
Miller St, Manchester, England, UK, M60 0AL
Description
Keywords: GoTonySmith,@Hotpixuk,Hotpixuk,CW9 6JR,CW9,signage,sunny,summer,blue sky,main,road,digital,PV,Road Closed,Here,Solar Sign,roadside,on,the,A49,to,from,eco,roads,close,closed,here,rd,hired,for,hire,kit,equipment,solar,signs,of,times,self-contained
Description: Tony Smith image Alamy 2JDRMXT -
A49, Antrobus, Cheshire, England, UK, CW9 6JR
Description
Keywords: GoTonySmith,HotpixUK,@HotpixUK,England,UK,GB,North West England,city centre,Vue,Imax,cinema,CIS,Insurance Building,Solar,PV,complex,venue,Land Securities,Panels,Solar PV,Manchester City Centre,City Centre,entertainment,M4,sunny,history,Mirror,heritage,historic,venues,pubs,bars,clubs,restaurants,central,city,centre
Description: Tony Smith image Alamy RPGEN3 - The Printworks entertainment venue is located on the revamped Withy Grove site of the business premises of the 19th century newspaper proprietor Edward Hulton, established in 1873 and later expanded. Hulton's son Sir Edward Hulton expanded his father's newspaper interests and sold his publishing business based in London and Manchester to Lord Beaverbrook and Lord Rothermere when he retired in 1923. Most of the Hulton newspapers were sold again soon afterwards to the Allied Newspapers consortium formed in 1924 (renamed Kemsley Newspapers in 1943 and bought by Roy Thomson in 1959).
Earlier names of the buildings associated with publishing that were incorporated into the development include Withy Grove Printing House, the Chronicle Buildings, Allied House, Kemsley House, Thomson House and Maxwell House. Kemsley House on the corner of Withy Grove and Corporation Street was developed gradually from 1929 and became the largest newspaper printing house in Europe. The site housed a printing press until 1986. Robert Maxwell bought the property and subsequently closed it down The building was left unused for over a decade and fell derelict.
27 Withy Grove, Manchester, UK, M4 2BS
Description
Keywords: Edinburgh,Scotland,UK,red,tile,roof,solar,panel,eco,ecofriendly,modern,GoTonySmith,Buy Pictures of,Buy Images Of,new,on,an,estate,near,PV,eco-friendly,Viscount Drive,EH22 3FX,EH22,development,houses,detached,render,rendered,Photovoltaic,panels,offer,renewable energy
Description: Tony Smith image Alamy DRH8CT -
Viscount Dr, Eskbank, near Dalkeith Midlothian, Scotland, UK, EH22 3FX
Description
Keywords: Mph,sign,Lymm,Warrington,Cheshire,England,UK,LA,WBC,borough,council,local,authority,PV,photo,voltaic,photovoltaic,photo-voltaic,cell,cells,power,powered,eco,friendly,ecofriendly,eco-friendly,sustainable,low,voltage,LED,light,lighting,modules,panels,panel,road,array,50mph,pole,mount,mounted,standalon,gotonysmith,Silicon,Boule,&,Solar,Cell,solarcell,Monocrystalline,tracker,tracking,track,tracks,standalone,device,devices,side,of,road,near-maximum,power,collection,near,maximum,route,signs,routesigns,signlights,ultra,low,power,lighting,ultralow,ultra-low,LUA,energy,storage,system,no,mains,cable,light,Simmonsigns,Limited,Buy Pictures of,Buy Images Of
Description: Tony Smith image Alamy DDXT50 -
Lymm, Warrington, Cheshire, England, UK
Description
Keywords: The CIS Tower building,headquarters,of,the,Cooperative,Insurance,Society,Manchester,England,UK,coop,co-op,Insure,insured,group,solar,panels,sustainable,facade,in,photovoltaic,panels,PV,green,office,block,gotonysmith,prestige,headquarters,showcase,Co-operative,movement,1962,steel,frame,podium,block,Grade,2,II,listed,building,architecture,Gordon,Tait,of,Burnett,Tait,&,Partners,discipline,and,consistency,towers,design,influenced,by,Skidmore,Owings,&,Merrills,Inland,Steel,Building,Chicago,architects,1958,Interiors,were,designed,by,Misha,Black,of,the,Design,Research,Unit,Solarcentury,permanent,green,energy,solution,Renovation,Within,six,months,of,construction,some,of,the,mosaic,tiles,on,the,service,tower,became,detached,owing,to,cement,failure,and,lack,of,expansion,joints,in,the,concrete.,Although,the,tower,was,granted,listed,building,status,in,1995,falling,tiles,were,an,ongoing,problem.,English,Heritage,had,to,be,consulted,alterations,could,change,the,buildings,appearance.,In,2004,CIS,consulted,Solarcentury,575.5kW,photovoltaic cells towerblock concrete,gotonysmith,Mancester,Buy Pictures of,Buy Images Of
Description: Tony Smith image Alamy CEY8WK - The CIS Tower is an office skyscraper on Miller Street in Manchester, England. It was completed in 1962 and rises to 387 feet (118 m) in height.
The Grade II listed building, which houses the Co-operative Banking Group, is Manchester's second-tallest building and the tallest office building outside London. The tower remained as built for over 40 years until maintenance issues on the service tower required an extensive renovation which included covering its facade in photovoltaic panels.
The tower's design was influenced by Skidmore Owings & Merrill's Inland Steel Building in Chicago after a visit by the architects in 1958. Interiors were designed by Misha Black of the Design Research Unit.
Renovation
Within six months of construction some of the mosaic tiles on the service tower became detached owing to cement failure and lack of expansion joints in the concrete. Although the tower was granted listed building status in 1995, falling tiles were an ongoing problem. English Heritage had to be consulted as alterations could change the building's appearance.
In 2004 CIS consulted Solarcentury with a view to replacing the deteriorating mosaic with 575.5kW of blue building-integrated photovoltaic (PV) cells which would provide a permanent green energy solution, generating approximately 180,000 kWh of electricity per year. The work was completed by Arup and at that time was the largest commercial solar façade in Europe.
The PV cells made by Sharp Electronics began feeding electricity to the National Grid in November 2005. The project, which cost £5.5 million, was partly funded by the Northwest Regional Development Agency which granted £885,000 and the Energy Savings Trust at the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) contributed £175,000.
The solar power project was chosen by the DTI as one of the 10 best green energy projects of 2005. Out of sight on the roof are 24 wind turbines generating 10% of the tower's electricity
CIS Tower, Miller Street, Manchester , Lancashire, England UK M60 0AL
