On Saturday April 26th the Twentieth Century Society and Manchester Modernists are joining forces for a walk around Salford Quays and Trafford Park.

We shall start outside The Lowry Centre – a final last hurrah for Post Modernism by Michael Wilford. Then a critical eye shall be cast over the less successful commercial PoMo of 80s Salford Quays and the 21st corporate Media City development, before crossing The Rubicon (aka The Manchester Ship Canal) in Trafford for Liebskind’s masterful Imperial War Museum North.

Then things start get a little gritty as one would expect with an area that was once the Europe’s largest industrial estate. Much of the heavy industry has now gone but we shall visit The Village to see a remnant of that past and visit Trafford Park Heritage Centre and the wonderful and charming St Antony’s Tin Church. This will be a walk of contrasts: we can’t claim all of it will be pretty but this is an area which has been, and continues to be, vital to Manchester’s and Salford’s place in the world.

We start at The Lowry at 11am, due at the Trafford Park Heritage Centre at 1pm and hope to be back at The Lowry by 3pm at the latest. Salford Quays is well served by Metrolink and the 50 bus from Manchester City Centre.

Cost is £5 or £4 for members or concessions (unwaged, student, OAP etc) and will include notes and access to the Trafford Park Heritage Centre where we have been promised tea and biscuits.There will be much walking so please dress accordingly and Trafford Park does not have many shops, cafes or coffee shops, especially at the weekend, so a packed lunch, snacks or a hearty breakfast before hand may be prudent.

To book contact Aidan Turner-Bishop