Manchester Unity Building

The Manchester Unity Building is defined by its soaring, turreted tower that projects above the corner of Collins and Swanston Streets, clad in distinctive, light-colored terracotta tiles. Completed in nineteen thirty-two during the depths of the Great Depression, the twelve-story structure was designed by architect Marcus Barlow, who drew inspiration from the Chicago Tribune Tower. It was built for the Manchester Unity Independent Order of Oddfellows, a friendly society that sought to provide jobs for its members and signal economic optimism for the city.