After years of delays and spiralling costs, a landmark arts venue has opened in Manchester.
Located on an industrial heritage site, the £241m Aviva Studio has been developed by Allied London and Manchester City Council with backing from the government and Arts Council England.
Formerly called Factory International, it marks the UK’s most significant investment in a national cultural project since Tate Modern. It opens four years late at a cost of more than double its original budget.
The 13,400sqm building, designed by Dutch firm OMA, is based around large, open, flexible spaces and uses exposed steel and raw concrete to reflect the area's history.
Its main Warehouse space has a standing capacity of 5,000, while the smaller Hall can accommodate 1,603 seated or 2,000 standing. The spaces can be configured to work together and host various events, including "immersive exhibitions, theatre productions, intimate concerts and raves".
Earlier this year, Aviva Studio was granted a 24-hour licence, which allows it to serve alcohol until 4 am in the morning. The move caused apprehension amongst some of the venue's neighbours, who described its opening hours as "excessive" and expressed concerns about noise disturbances in such a central location.
Ellen van Loon, the architect of the building, said: "I've worked on numerous theatres and performance spaces, but none compare to this one in terms of what it offers to performers.
“This venue serves as a platform, unlocking the full potential of the performing arts. All too often, abandoned post-industrial buildings and neighbourhoods are erased from the map, and with them, the creative scenes that once thrived within them. This building reinstates what was lost."