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Manchester City Council has announced the winners of an international design competition for the transformation of St Peter's Square.
German landscape architects Latz + Partner provided the winning design, and will now see it become a reality as part of a lucrative development project.
Sonja Hlawna, project lead for Latz + Partner said: "We feel honoured to have the task of turning Manchester's vision to create a world-class space into reality. The redesign of St Peter's Square is a crucial step in the Town Hall Complex transformation programme and we are convinced that the future square will constitute an outstanding place in the fabric of the city of Manchester.
"It is our ambition to make the square more generous while respecting the context to unlock its full potential. We look forward to the challenge of creating an inspiring place for its citizens at the heart of Manchester."
The area adjacent to the City Hall will receive a carpet of paving along with a grove of decorative trees. The cenotaph will be repositioned in the square and the cross marking St Peter's Church enhanced.
St Peter's Square's tram stop will be relocated to the corner of Princess Street and Mosley Street as part of the proposed Metrolink 2nd City Crossing scheme to free up the square in front of Central Library.
A planning application is being sough for the construction of a Peterloo Memorial, based on plans that are still in development. These will also detail a new landmark to reinvigorate Library Walk.
A walkway made of glass and stainless steel will provide access between Central Library and the Town Hall Extension, allowing the public to enter from both sides of the building.
Sir Richard Leese, leader of Manchester City Council, said: "St Peter's Square is an important public space which has not been living up to anything like its full potential.
"But we believe the regenerated square will be a symbol of both the city's heritage and its growing international standing - somewhere Manchester and Mancunians can be proud of.
"It will provide a high quality setting for the Town Hall and Central Library and support other investment in the Civic Quarter, which will be vitally important to the city's growth over the coming years.
"We are already seeing private sector-led new office development at One St Peter's Square and are expecting further planning applications in the months ahead."
Latz + Partner were one of five architecture firms to enter a design for the square in the council's 2010 competition.
