It is officially called the Hollings Building, but everyone knows it as "The Toast Rack."
Rising above Fallowfield like a giant concrete bread holder, this is one of Manchester’s most loved and debated landmarks. Designed by City Architect L.C. Howitt and completed in 1960, it was originally the Domestic and Trades College (where students learned baking and tailoring), which explains its unique shape.
With its parabolic concrete arches and pop-art geometry, it is a rare British example of Googie Architecture—the space-age style usually found in 1950s California, but here fused with brutalism in a fascinating and unique design. Famous for its "Poached Egg" library next door and its status as a Grade II listed treasure, it represents the bold, eccentric spirit of Manchester Modernism.
Whether you are an MMU alumni, a Fallowfield local, or a lover of architectural oddities, this collection celebrates the joy of the Toast Rack.
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