A historic icon reborn
A historic icon reborn
A historic icon reborn
Behind our building’s striking architecture and unique charm is
the story of one man’s stunning vision of Manchester’s future.
1932
Sunlight House was a bold statement of ambitious design, envisioned and developed by architect Joseph Sunlight in the wake of the slowing industrial boom.
In the 1920s, Joseph Sunlight visited New York to study the newly built Empire State Building. By 1926, work had begun on the design of Sunlight House on Quay Street. The office block was inspired by the art deco commercial buildings of early 1900s Chicago, with a slated three-tier mansard roof, large square plan and central lightwell. It remained the city’s tallest building until the early to mid-1960s.
A pioneer in architecture
Joseph Sunlight was born Joseph Zchovsky in Belarus to Jewish parents. Little is known about him in the public arena, but he’s said to have fled the country with his family due to religious persecution, beginning work at an architect’s office in Manchester in 1904 at just 15 years of age. By the time he was 21 years old, Joseph had constructed more than a thousand houses in Greater Manchester, and just a decade or so later in 1921, over one million pounds of building work had been carried out according to his designs.
Historical images
Manchester Libraries, Information and Archives
National Portrait Gallery
Manchester Libraries, Information and Archives
National Portrait Gallery
Today
Rooted in heritage, Joseph Sunlight's visionary building is being reimagined for modern businesses.
We're making improvements in design, technology and sustainability to help transform this historic icon into high-quality contemporary office spaces, providing the ideal home for enterprising new businesses looking for a fresh start in a unique space.
Behind the scenes
This is when we get back to the heart of the building. Our light strip out reveals long-forgotten features covered by modern, intrusive fit outs.
We work with a team of specialists to ensure we keep Sunlight House’s original features front and centre of our redesign.
We implement advanced systems and technologies which allow us to transition the building to 100% electric power, marrying modernity with history.
We work with you to craft your dream space from a blank canvas, helping you think through your workspace, design and furniture.
