HELENE BINET: IN CONVERSATION

Free to attend. No booking required.

Date: 3pm, Saturday 11 May
Venue: The Social

Free to attend. No booking required.

Accessibility features available for this event: Wheelchair Access

Hear from acclaimed photographer Hélène Binet on her new exhibition The Poetics of Construction

Over four years and eight visits to the construction site of Aviva Studios, internationally acclaimed photographer Hélène Binet captured the building rise from the ground.

Hélène Binet: The Poetics of Construction (7 May to 9 June) brings together a selection of special-commissioned large-scale photographs which capture the construction of Aviva Studios, on display for the first time.

Binet captured the building rise from the ground to produce what she describes as a ‘photographic essay’. Shot on film, each image reveals a moment of the construction captured in time – exposing the different processes and materials that were key to making the building. Melding the poetic and industrial, this astonishing series of large colour and black and white imagery tells the story of Aviva Studios and offers a poetic interpretation of a working site.

Join the internationally acclaimed Swiss/French photographer in person as she shares her memories and insights into capturing the Aviva Studios build and her unique approach to the photography of architecture.

Hosted by Factory International Venue Director Sheena Wrigley, this informal in conversation will give a behind-the-scenes look into process of creating the exhibition and a captivating insight into the making of Manchester’s landmark new cultural space, Aviva Studios.

Image: Mark Waugh

The Speakers

About Hélène Binet

Hélène Binet is an internationally acclaimed Swiss/French photographer based in London. She creates large-format photography and works exclusively with film. Her work has been exhibited around the world –including at PSA, Shanghai. In 2019, she was awarded the Ada Louise Huxtable Prize for her exceptional contribution in the field of architecture. In 2021/22, she became the first woman photographer to present a major solo exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts.

About Sheena Wrigley

Sheena Wrigley is Venue Director at Factory International leading on venue operations and the opening of our ambitious cultural destination Aviva Studios, working closely as part of our Executive Team to develop and deliver our strategy in line with our vision – to Invent Tomorrow Together. Previously Sheena was Executive Director at HOME and is also a member of the Board of Trustees for Shakespeare North Playhouse.

Access information

Our full address is Aviva Studios, Water Street, Manchester M3 4JQ and the what3words is chop.feeds.chase.

You can approach Aviva Studios along Water Street (coming from Quay Street) or along Liverpool Road (coming from Deansgate or Castlefield). Both entrances to the building have double sets of glass doors.

Once inside Aviva Studios, there is step-free access to all areas of the venue. The flooring throughout the building is smooth concrete.

The Social has a range of seating, including those with arms and backs.

The bars in the Social and Hall Foyer have lowered accessible service points.

Our building is large. We have portable stools available to borrow if you would benefit from resting along the way during your visit.

We have wheelchair spaces and seats at standing events for all events.

There are accessible toilets on all public levels of our building.

Accessible toilets are located inside the main toilets space in the brick arches of the Social.

Here you’ll find a mixture of accessible cubicles with left- or right-hand transfer, towards the back of the space, as well as ambulant accessible cubicles with grab rails, as well as a Changing Places facility.

The toilets in the brick arches of the Social are split into male, female and gender neutral – all of which contain accessible cubicles. There are shared handwashing facilities in each arch – they have soap dispensers under the mirrors to your left and dryers to the right. There are separate handwashing facilities inside the accessible cubicles.

There are additional single-room accessible toilets located in both Hall Foyers, at stalls and circle level.

There are additional single-room accessible toilets located in the Warehouse Foyer.

You do not need a key to use the accessible toilets at Aviva Studios

Assistance dogs are welcome in our building, and we can provide mats and water bowls on request, just ask a host when you arrive. We can also take care of your assistance dog if you do not want to take your dog into the performance space. Please also refer to our assistance dogs policy.

If you are bringing an assistance dog to a ticketed event, please let us know in advance by contacting access@factoryinternational.org or calling our access phone number: 0161 817 4531 (phone lines are open 10am to 6pm, Monday to Saturday).

Travel information

Aviva Studios can be approached along Water Street (coming from Quay Street) or along Liverpool Road (coming from Deansgate or Castlefield).

Our closest stations are:

Salford Central station: 0.4 miles

Deansgate station and Deansgate-Castlefield tram: 0.6 miles

St Peter’s Square tram: 0.6 miles

Manchester Victoria station is approximately one mile from Aviva Studios

Manchester Piccadilly station is approximately 1.3 miles from Aviva Studios

Click on the links above to find detailed access information for each station.

By Bike

There are 40 bike parking spaces at Aviva Studios including space for two accessible bikes.

National Cycling Route 6 passes close to the venue and this TfGM webpage can help with route planning.

You can also hire bikes from on-street docking stations across the city centre. The closest docking stations to our venue are currently on Deansgate by Liverpool Road and (400m from the building) and by King Street (500m from the building). Take a look at Transport for Greater Manchester’s webpage for advice on cycle hire.

By Walking and Other Active Means

Aviva Studios can be approached along Water Street via Liverpool Road (coming from Deansgate or Castlefield).

If you're coming from Quay Street, the safest route to avoid construction works is via the cut-through opposite Gartside Street and past Booking.com.

All footways in the surrounding area are well lit and there are appropriate crossings across all main roads.

Pedestrians with visual impairment are recommended to approach the building via Water Street, from Liverpool Road. This route has traditional carriageway and footway design with fixed street furniture which should help with navigation to the entrance.

A footbridge at Left Bank in Spinningfields provides an accessible link across the River Irwell to Salford Central station, and a further footbridge also links Aviva Studios with the Salford area of Middlewood Locks

Free bus services stop at all city-centre stations, and near to Aviva Studios along Deansgate, Bridge St and Quay St. Buses on these free routes are wheelchair accessible. For full details of the free bus routes, please visit the TfGM website.

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