Manchester’s skyline is blooming: discover the Printworks green roof
Manchester is getting greener, one roof at the time...
There’s a new green roof in town, which sits on top of one of the most iconic buildings in Manchester – the Printworks. Originally established as a printing house in 1873, the complex is now known as Manchester’s premiere entertainment centre, and the building itself has long been a landmark site of the city centre skyline.
The Printworks green roof, funded by Wates Family Enterprise Trust as part of the In Our Nature programme, is a great example of how we can infuse nature into our cityscapes, and we hope it inspires others in the city (and beyond) to follow suit.
Bringing Urban Nature to New Heights
Living roofs are more than just a patch of green. Other than looking great, they provide lots of benefits to our cities. Here are just a few:
Urban Heat Island Mitigation: Manchester, like many urban areas, is affected by the "urban heat island" effect— a phenomenon where cities become significantly warmer than surrounding rural areas due to human activities and structures. By cooling the surrounding air, green roofs help to mitigate against it.
Rainwater Management: vegetation acts as a natural sponge, absorbing rainwater and decreasing runoff. A reduction in rainwater runoff helps alleviate the risk of flooding and eases the burden on the city's infrastructure.
Air Quality Improvement: vegetation acts as a natural air filter, capturing particulate matter and harmful pollutants, as well as transforming CO2 into oxygen.
Energy Efficiency: green roofs act as natural insulators for the buildings below and can reduce the need for heating during colder months, or cooling during warmer months. By minimizing the buildings’ energy consumption, green roofs can contribute to a lower carbon footprint of our buildings.
A Buzzworthy Habitat
Before its leafy era, the Printworks roof was already home to thousands of honeybees, looked after by local beekeeper Adrian Rhodes of the Manchester and District Beekeepers Association.
Sow the City's design includes an assortment of native and hardy plants which have been selected to thrive in this challenging sky-high environment (think: wind, baking sun, minimal soil). It includes sedums (16 different varieties!), and a range of herbs including chives, oregano, and rosemary, which all provide a year-round banquet for our buzzing friends, fostering biodiversity and supporting other pollinators as well as birds.
Reconnecting with Nature
Amidst the grey and sometimes chaotic city centre, the Printworks green roof boasts an array of colours, textures, and fragrances, offering a serene sanctuary where one can pause, breathe, and reconnect with nature.
Beyond environmental benefits, green roofs can provide learning and socialising spaces for local communities: they are brilliant spaces to hold tours and workshops exploring sustainable practices, food growing, biodiversity conservation, and the significance of green infrastructure.
Although it isn’t open to visitors yet, there will be opportunities to come and see it sometime in next year – so watch this space!
Inspiring the skyline of the future
The Printworks green roof is as a living testament that green roofs can be retrofitted onto buildings where we work, live, or access public services in. This vibrant urban oasis beckons us to embrace sustainability, nurture our environment, and create a greener legacy for Manchester.
Picture this: Manchester's cityscape dotted with vibrant green roofs, on commercial, residential, and public budlings, where people are able to have a break in and connect with nature, and maybe even grow their own lunch.
Head here to find out more about the garden’s creators, Sow The City.
Head here to find out more information about the Printworks.
