900 homes on way as award-winning Salford University building to be demolished

The former University of Salford site Centenary Building is set to be demolished to make way for 900 new homes.

In 1996, the building was the first to win the most prestigious prize in UK architecture – but since 2016 it hasn’t been used for its intended purpose.

Between 2019 and 2022 the building was the site for the Channel 4 TV show ‘The Circle’, but other than that has been derelict.

The University of Salford said: “While the Centenary Building has been part of our university estate for a number of decades, unfortunately its ageing infrastructure means it no longer meets modern standards and requirements.

“It has now been vacant for a third of its built life. Careful consideration has been given to the history of the building, and the partnership, which includes Salford City Council, ECF and the University of Salford, intends to demolish the building as part of the comprehensive development of Adelphi Village.”

The Adelphi Village development comes along with the £2.5 billion investment from the English Cities Fund into the Crescent Masterplan.

In the plans it aims to build 900 homes and estimates to be completed by 2040.

Dr Carole O’Reilly, author of Salford In 50 Buildings, said: “The demolition of an award-winning building is always an interesting decision.

“On one level, it’s an admission of failure to align the design with the purpose of the building. This was always a flaw with Centenary.”

Dr O’Reilly continued: “It does, however, take some courage to arrive at this decision and no building should be saved just because it has won an award.

“If it no longer fulfils a role, then it should go. There is little merit in its architecture to warrant saving it.”

No comment has been made yet on the future of the nearby Old Adelphi Building.

Dr O’Reilly addressed the possibility of that being demolished too, saying: “It has many interesting interior features (wood-panelled offices and corridors and a fantastic map of global locations where they exported their products built into an office wall) and is unlisted.”