One thing is certain; when Factory International opens in Manchester this coming autumn, it will be like nothing the art world has seen before. OMA is adept at creating architecture that challenges and surprises, especially in the field of performance. Ellen van Loon, the OMA partner in charge of the project, was also behind the practice’s seminal Casa da Música in Porto (2005), while the studio’s more recent Taipei Performing Arts Center (2022) is nothing if not unconventional, all bold shapes and embracing public, community life.
The same can be said for Factory International, which sees a soft opening this June, allowing its first guests in to enjoy a series of events during the Manchester International Festival’s (MIF) 2023 edition - while continuing to finesse construction work towards a full, official opening in October.
