Global recognition for design of outstanding Salford scheme

New Bailey’s Riverside House has taken gold at London Design Awards

Muse Developments has triumphed at the London Design Awards, after achieving a gold standard for its office fitout at Riverside House, New Bailey.

The global awards celebrate those whose creativity and courage is leading the way in terms of design, with the gold accreditation marking Riverside House as a truly world-class development.

Before being developed by The English Cities Fund, the Grade II-listed Riverside House had stood in ruins for a number of years. Originally built in the 1860s, the building was heavily damaged, and the decision was taken by the fund to retain and repair the existing brick façade, while internally, a new four-storey CAT A office was built with a brand-new structure and stunning roof terrace.

Muse secured the top two floors of Riverside House in 2019, providing a new modern workspace with an external roof-top deck for its growing team. The office fitout was created and delivered by SpaceInvader Design.

Phil Marsden, project manager at Muse Developments, said: “Our move to Riverside House was always where we wanted to be. We truly believe in what we do, so what better way to highlight this, by moving right into the heart of one of our flagship schemes in the region. Our vision intended to be a statement of our ambitions and growth, while investing in our team and demonstrating the kind of high-quality developments that we deliver, which is a core strand of our DNA.

“The design was a collaborative effort between us and SpaceInvader and they fully understood what we were hoping to achieve with the space. The finished product is a game changer and has been really well received by colleagues, clients and the wider industry alike. This latest award demonstrates how innovative and unique this scheme really is, not just in our region, but globally too.”

John Williams, founder of SpaceInvader Design added: “The team at Muse were fully appreciative of our design process and trusted us very quickly to engage with their people and their business, as well as to understand their ambitions and aspirations.

“The design has helped Muse work in a more efficient and collaborative way that unites all parts of the business, whilst adopting future working principles and technologies. The palette we used is reflective of the surrounding context of the development and the wider texture of the Salford urban grain. It complements the multiple workspaces to support the spectrum from focussed, to more collaborative working. Most importantly, it has strengthened the culture at Muse, bringing people together to work in complete synergy with the brand and business.”

More information about the London Design Awards and Riverside House’s winning entry can be found here.

New Bailey is being delivered by The English Cities Fund, a joint venture between Muse Developments, Legal & General and Homes England. The joint venture partnership is currently delivering some of the most complex and most successful urban regeneration projects across the UK. Following the fund’s expansion in 2018, it continues to take on large-scale, challenging sites and create inspiring new places. 

Building on the fund’s success at Salford Central, it was named earlier in the year by Salford Council and the University of Salford as their chosen development partner to take forward Salford Crescent – a game-changing £2.5bn, 240-acre programme of regeneration delivered through a unique partnership that will bring forward a new city district with thousands of homes, alongside innovation and education space, as well as swathes of green public space.