The conversion of a grade II listed former chapel to offices for the creative industries. Deansgate Chapel is a key landmark in the Castlefield Conservation Area of Manchester and has been home to a range of uses over time – most recently serving as Pete Waterman's recording studios. Its new owner and one of our longstanding clients, Blue Tree Estates, asked us to carry out this radical office conversion that has resulted in a stripping back to the original fabric and the insertion of a striking, free-form structure into the nave of the former church. A series of fissures have been created between new and existing, which allow glimpses of the original volume. These make for a changing sequence of spatial experiences and elements of surprise on the journey through the building. Overall, we've tried to strike a balance between the often conflicting demands of conservation and commercial viability.