Sunlight House

MANCHESTER

SJ8398 QUAY STREET 698-1/16/347 (North side) 20/06/88 Sunlight House

GV II

Office block. 1932, by Joseph Sunlight. Steel frame with cladding of Portland stone, slated 3-tier mansard roof with glazed centre. Large square plan with central light-well. International Modern style with classical elements. Ten storeys plus 4 attic storeys successively set back, 8 bays plus wide canted corner to right rising to octagonal turret with domed lantern and apex finial; ground and 1st floors treated as plinth, 6-storey 5-bay pilastrade to centre, with moulded frieze over 7th floor and enriched cornice over 8th floor, plain parapet over 10th floor. Very regular fenestration with casements of 3 lights to the 5-bay centre and 2 lights to the end bays, metal panels between floors; 3-light attic windows, those of the first 3 tiers set in individual projected rectangular dormers. Shop windows and a round-headed archway at ground floor. Canted corner treated as tower, given strong vertical emphasis by narrow 3-light mullioned windows in each face tiered continuously from 2nd to 10th floors, with carved decoration over 10th floor, a 1-storey drum over this, set-back 2-storey continuation, and set-back lantern; square-headed doorways to entrance porch at ground floor. Return to right and rear elevation similar, but with slated attic and extruded dormers. Forms group with Royal London House to right (Nos 188-202 Deansgate, q.v.).

Listing NGR: SJ8347398031