1 Hardman Square (2004–2013) The high-rise was first proposed in 2004, linking in with the new developments in
Spinningfields and the growth in proposals for tall buildings in the city at the time. The
2008 financial crisis paralysed the development market, particularly in the expensive sector of constructing skyscrapers. In 2011 it was reported that developers of the tower,
Allied London, were on the verge of sealing a £165 million deal with German fund manager,
Union Investment. As part of the deal, Union Investments forward-purchased 1 Hardman Square, which gave Allied London the capital to construct the building. Construction of the building was dependent on whether Allied London could sign up tenants for half the building, which reportedly could have taken up to two years as the economy recovered.
No. 1 Spinningfields (2014–present) Following the news in 2011 that a deal to build a Grade A office tower of 20 storeys was possible, plans for such a scheme were finally released in January 2014 and submitted for planning permission. Construction began in July 2015, with
BAM appointed as the main contractor on what became a £73 million project. The building structure incorporates three major cantilevering façades, including a eastern cantilever formed by a
Vierendeel truss, which shaped both the engineering strategy and the external massing. By November 2016 the steel frame and cantilevered elements were progressing on site, forming the final component of the wider Spinningfields masterplan. ==See also==