Hulme Crescents, Former residential complex in Manchester, United Kingdom
The Hulme Crescents was a large housing complex in Manchester made up of four curved concrete buildings with deck-access apartments, originally designed to house over 13,000 residents across 3,284 units. The structures were completed between 1968 and 1972 and replaced Victorian terraced houses in the area.
The project was built between 1968 and 1972 and was the largest public housing development in Europe at the time. It was part of post-war urban renewal efforts in Manchester.
During the 1980s, artists and musicians moved into vacant spaces within the complex and used them as studios and performance venues. This turned the buildings into a hub for creative activity.
The complex faced structural problems from the start, including inadequate heating systems, pest infestations, and dangerous balcony designs that led to accidents. Visitors should know that these buildings now exist only in photographs and historical records, having been demolished beginning in 1991.
After 1984, Manchester City Council stopped collecting rent from residents but continued to provide electricity until demolition began in 1991. This unusual approach showed how authorities managed the complex's decline.
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