Rylands Building facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rylands Building |
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The Rylands Building from Piccadilly Gardens
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| General information | |
| Type | Warehouse (1932–1957) Department store (1957–2021) |
| Architectural style | Art Deco |
| Location | Manchester, Greater Manchester, England, United Kingdom |
| Address | 109–127 Market Street, Manchester M60 1TA |
| Completed | 1932 |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 10 |
| Floor area | 500,000 sq ft (46,000 m2) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Fairhursts (Harry S. & P. G. Fairhurst) |
| Designations | |
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Listed Building – Grade II
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| Official name: Rylands Building (Debenhams) | |
| Designated: | 5 June 1994 |
| Reference #: | 1219831 |
The Rylands Building is a famous old building in Manchester, England. It used to be a big shop called Debenhams. You can find it on Market Street. This building is special because it's a Grade II listed building. This means it's an important historical building that needs to be protected.
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The Rylands Building: A Manchester Landmark
The Rylands Building stands in an area once famous for its markets. It was also known for its textile warehouses. These were big buildings where cloth and fabric were stored. The building is close to the city centre and Piccadilly Gardens.
From Warehouse to Department Store
The Rylands Building has had two main lives. First, it was a warehouse. Then, it became a large department store.
Built for Textiles
The building was first built as a warehouse. This was for a company called Rylands & Sons Ltd. This company was started by a businessman named John Rylands. They sold textiles, which are fabrics and cloths. The building was finished in 1932.
Famous architects from Manchester, called Fairhursts, designed the building. They used a style called Art Deco. This style was very popular in the 1920s and 1930s. It uses strong geometric shapes and fancy decorations. The building is covered in a type of stone called Portland stone. It also has a cool corner tower and zigzag patterns above the windows.
A New Life as a Shop
In 1957, a big fire destroyed another shop called Paulden's Department Store. After the fire, Paulden's bought the Rylands warehouse. They changed it into a new shop. This new shop was a big competitor to another store called Lewis's across the street.
Later, in 1973, a company called Debenhams took over Paulden's. They changed the shop's name to Debenhams. The Rylands Building stayed a Debenhams store until it closed in 2021. It was one of the last big department stores in Manchester. Other famous shops like Lewis's and C&A had already closed.
What's Next for the Building?
The Rylands Building is getting ready for a new chapter. In 2023, a company shared plans to update the building. They want to create new offices, shops, and fun places for people to visit. There are also plans to add four more floors to the roof. The city council approved these plans in 2021. The work is expected to be finished by 2025.
The Rylands Building in Art
The Rylands Building is even famous enough to be in a painting! You can see it in the background of a painting by L. S. Lowry. The painting is called Piccadilly Gardens and was painted in 1954.
