London-based architecture studio Carmody Groarke has completed a comprehensive renovation of the Power Hall at Manchester's Science and Industry Museum, breathing new life into a Grade II-listed building that dates back to the Industrial Revolution. The project, described as "transformative yet discreet," has restored the 19th-century structure's original features while bringing it up to modern standards for accessibility and energy efficiency.
The Power Hall, which serves as the museum's largest single space, originally functioned as a goods shed during the Industrial Revolution and was part of the world's first inter-city steam-powered passenger railway. The building first opened as a gallery in 1983 but closed for major repairs in 2019. After years of restoration work, it is set to reopen on October 17, 2025, showcasing an extensive collection of working gas, steam, and electric trains.
Carmody Groarke's design approach focused on reinstating the building's original layout as a 108-meter-long hall while implementing subtle alterations that respect the structure's historic character. The renovation has restored distinctive timber roof trusses and recreated the original cobbled and timber flooring that characterized the industrial-era building. The timber trusses now divide the space into two parallel bays, creating a dramatic interior that highlights the building's industrial heritage.
"Combining sensitive heritage preservation works with a future-facing decarbonization scheme, the Grade II-listed heritage restoration breathes new life into one of the most important surviving buildings of the industrial revolution," explained Carmody Groarke. "New interventions within the Power Hall are transformative yet discreet, so that the heritage of architecture and collections are foregrounded."
A central focus of the renovation was improving circulation and accessibility throughout the space. The architects created a new access route that guides visitors through the museum's yard to a central entrance, strategically positioned to enhance visibility and draw in visitors. At the gallery's center, they installed a raised platform modeled on an original feature that would have been used to load goods on and off trains during the building's operational days.
Winding ramps thread around this central platform, offering visitors views of the various exhibits at different levels while providing insight into how the original working building operated. "Reintroducing this platform restores the shed's original working diagram and provides a powerful organizational anchor for the visitor experience," the studio explained. "Threaded around this platform, gently ramped walkways unlock the possibility of experiencing the museum's collections at different levels, and are key to appreciating how the original working building operated with trains entering at the west and carriages taking goods into the city of Manchester to the east."
The renovation carefully balanced preservation with modernization, creating what Carmody Groarke describes as "coherence between old and new." Original brick walls and their stone details have been meticulously restored, while new skylights have been introduced to maximize natural light. Large windows have been replaced with modern versions designed to optimize daylight and views, and are lined with gray Douglas fir ventilation panels that complement the historic timber elements.
Environmental sustainability played a crucial role in the renovation, with significant improvements made to the building's energy performance. The roof was re-insulated with wood fiber, and the building now features an electric steam boiler and water-source heat pump. These measures, developed in collaboration with engineering company Max Fordham, are designed to help the museum align with Manchester's ambitious 2038 net-zero carbon target.
This Power Hall renovation represents the second major project Carmody Groarke has completed as part of the Science and Industry Museum's multi-million-pound regeneration program, following their work on the Special Exhibitions Gallery in 2021. The comprehensive project involved collaboration with numerous specialists, including main contractor HH Smith & Sons, exhibition design by Studio Mutt, and heritage consultation by Donald Insall Associates.
Carmody Groarke, founded in 2006 by architects Kevin Carmody and Andy Groarke, has established a reputation for sensitive cultural projects that balance historic preservation with contemporary functionality. Their recent works include a boat museum on the shore of Windermere, which was shortlisted for the RIBA Stirling Prize 2021, and a "joyful and low-carbon" children's pavilion adjacent to Dulwich Picture Gallery in London. The Power Hall project continues this tradition of thoughtful architectural intervention that honors the past while serving present and future needs.
