Jump Studios

A £1.2m street food market designed by Jump Studios has opened in Barbirolli Square, Manchester. Named Society, it is the second location to be brought forward by the fast-growing start-up PopCity.

With an evolving events programme of independent music and other themed events, the waterfront location attracts a range of users from families visiting during the day to friends ready for a night out. The venue houses five independently owned kitchens and two bars with seating for over 350 people.

Jump Studios worked closely with PopCity to imbue the design with the company’s core brand values of authenticity, independence and quality – establishing a distinctive design language for its growing family of food market halls. The aesthetic is urban yet welcoming — timber and metalwork are featured heavily throughout, complemented in their robustness by a polished concrete floor and exposed concrete ceiling.

The space houses a long central bar with 30 beers available on tap and a secondary bar serving coffee during the day and cocktails at night. The scheme incorporates a mezzanine level to increase the capacity of the venue, while also lowering the ceiling height and creating a more intimate seating nook for people to gather, set against the backdrop of a bespoke mural created by a local artist. Part of the day-tonight transformation makes room for a DJ booth and dance floor.

Externally, an outdoor patio was added so guests can enjoy the waterfront views. Society brings to the city something different with its many food and beverage options combined with its laid-back urban aesthetic.

For further information, please contact:

Sean Julliard, +44 208 874 7666 or sean.julliard@populous.com