301 Deansgate Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Beetham Tower
Hilton Tower

General information
Status	Complete
Type	Hotel, residential, office
Architectural style	High-tech / Neomodern
Location	301–303 Deansgate, Manchester, England
Construction started	2004
Completed	2006
Cost	£150 million
Owner	Yianis Group
Height
Roof	158 m (518 ft)
Technical details
Floor count	47
Floor area	485,000 square feet (45,100 m²)
Lifts/elevators	8
Design and construction
Architect	SimpsonHaugh and Partners
Developer	Beetham Organization
Structural engineer	WSP Group
Main contractor	Carillion
Awards and prizes	CTBUH Best Tall Building Award 2007

The Beetham Tower (also known as the Hilton Tower) is a very tall building in Manchester, England. It has 47 floors and is used for a hotel, homes, and offices. The building was finished in 2006. It is named after the company that built it, the Beetham Organisation. The building was designed by SimpsonHaugh and Partners.

The Beetham Tower is located on a narrow piece of land in Deansgate. This is why it has a long, thin shape. Building started in 2004.

At 554 feet (169 m) tall, it was once the tallest building in Manchester. It was also the tallest building in the United Kingdom outside of London. In 2018, a new building called the South Tower at Deansgate Square became taller.

What Makes Beetham Tower Special?
- The Cantilever and Blade Design
What's Inside the Beetham Tower?
The Tower's Famous Hum
How People View the Beetham Tower
Images for kids
See also

What Makes Beetham Tower Special?

The Beetham Tower is one of the thinnest skyscrapers in the world. It is much wider from north to south than it is from east to west. This gives it a unique look.

The Cantilever and Blade Design

One cool feature is a four-meter (about 13 feet) section that sticks out from the building. This part is called a cantilever. It shows where the hotel floors end and the homes begin. On the south side, there's a blade-like structure. This makes the building look even thinner and also works as a lightning rod. On a clear day, you can see the Beetham Tower from ten different English counties!

What's Inside the Beetham Tower?

The Beetham Tower has different parts for different uses.

The Hilton Hotel

The first 22 floors of the tower are home to the Hilton Manchester Deansgate Hotel. This hotel has 279 rooms for guests.

Cloud 23 Skybar

The 23rd floor is very special. It has the cantilever that sticks out from the building. This floor is home to Cloud 23, a skybar. It has two glass windows in the floor, so you can look straight down to the ground! It's the only bar like this in Manchester.

Residential Apartments

Floors 25 to 47 are used for homes. These are called residential apartments. The very top floor has a large penthouse apartment. From here, you can see amazing views of Greater Manchester, the Cheshire Plain, the Pennines mountains, and even Snowdonia in Wales.

The Tower's Famous Hum

The Beetham Tower is known for making a loud humming or howling noise when it's windy. People believe this sound comes from the glass 'blade' at the very top of the building. The hum has been heard across large parts of the local area.

How People View the Beetham Tower

People have different opinions about the Beetham Tower. Some people think it looks too big and stands out too much in the city. They worry it might have affected Manchester's chances of becoming a UNESCO World Heritage City. This is because Manchester has a rich industrial past with many old, important buildings.

However, many others believe the tower's dramatic and unusual look fits Manchester well. They see the Beetham Tower as a symbol of Manchester's new identity as a modern city, especially after the bombing in 1996. The tower has also won awards. In 2007, it was named the best tall building in the world by the Council for Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat.

Images for kids

Beetham Tower under construction.
The Beetham Tower, one of the world's slimmest skyscrapers, has a width to height ratio of 1:10.
Reflective glass and natural light make the tower look like a crystal throughout the day.
Beetham Tower's south side seen from Bridgewater Viaduct.
A humming noise from the tower has been heard in Hulme. (Hulme Arch Bridge pictured in foreground)