Beetham Tower

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What is Beetham Tower?

Beetham Tower, also known as the Hilton Tower or Hilton Manchester Deansgate, is a striking 47‑storey mixed‑use skyscraper located on Deansgate in Manchester’s city centre oai_citation:0‡Wikipedia oai_citation:1‡Wikipedia. Designed by Ian Simpson Architects (SimpsonHaugh & Partners), construction began in 2004 and completed in 2006. At 169 m (554 ft) tall, it was the tallest building in the UK outside London, and Manchester’s first official skyscraper—holding that title until 2018 oai_citation:2‡Atmostherm.

The lower 23 floors house the Hilton hotel, including the famous Cloud 23 sky bar cantilevered at the 23rd floor with panoramic city views. Floors 24–48 are residential apartments, and the architect himself owns the top‑floor penthouse oai_citation:3‡Manchester History. Structurally, the tower uses a post‑tensioned concrete flat slab technique and is renowned for its slender profile—a height‑to‑width ratio of roughly 10:1 oai_citation:4‡Brogan Group.

Beetham Tower has also become something of a phenomenon in Manchester for occasionally emitting a loud whistle or hum in strong winds, known colloquially as the "whistling tower" effect—a phenomenon that has made headlines locally oai_citation:5‡Wikipedia.

Why Shoot Here?

Beetham Tower is a photographer’s magnet for several reasons:

  • Skyline dominance: Because it stood unmatched in height from 2006 to 2018, the tower forms a dramatic, instantly recognisable focal point in almost any skyline composition of Manchester oai_citation:6‡SimpsonHaugh.
  • Angular symmetry and glazing: Its sleek glass façade reflects sky and surrounding urban fabric—ideal for architectural and reflection‑based captures, especially against dramatic skies or evening lighting.
  • Contextual contrast: Position yourself near Castlefield canal, Deansgate, or the Great Northern Warehouse to juxtapose the modern tower with older industrial architecture—a classic Manchester blend.
  • Best time to shoot: Golden hour (sunrise or sunset) brings warm tones on the glass exterior, and can produce long shadows along the canal and streets. Blue hour is excellent for capturing interior lights and architectural outline. Overcast skies emphasize reflections and mood.
  • Details to explore: Frame the tower through archways near Castlefield, reflect it in canal water, or emphasize its thin profile from below. In windy conditions, you might capture animated movement in nearby trees or weather patterns echoing the building’s "whistle" character.
  • Evening atmospheres: Cloud 23’s glow and illuminated apartments bring vertical points of light after dark—perfect for long exposure or night-time cityscape work. Shooting from vantage points like Deansgate Square gives patterns of colour and height.

Further Information