Abstract:

Automonument 2040 is a speculative architectural proposal that critiques the cancellation of the northern leg of HS2 and the unfulfilled promises of speed, efficiency, and connectivity. Located at Piccadilly Plaza in Manchester, a city shaped by the Industrial Revolution and now positioned as a centre for AI and digital infrastructure, the project reclaims an abandoned HS2 site to question how investment may shift from physical transport to digital networks.

Engaging with the UK government’s AI Growth Zones initiative, the project proposes a vertical infrastructure that responds to rising demands for data, electricity, and heat. Artificial intelligence is used as a design tool to inform spatial organisation, system efficiency, and environmental performance, allowing the tower to operate as an adaptive and optimised structure. Drawing from Rem Koolhaas’ concept of the skyscraper as Automonument in Delirious New York, the tower negotiates the conflict between monumentality and constant change. It operates as a hybrid of data centre, energy plant, and civic landmark, housing servers, wind turbines, cooling systems, and public space within a single architectural form.

An exposed exoskeleton integrates solar panels, wind harvesting, rainwater cooling, and a microgrid that redistributes energy back into the city. Built from recycled HS2 components and electronic waste, the project critiques the short lifespan of mega-infrastructure while reimagining long-promised connectivity.