Ian Curtis was one of the most influential and culturally significant personalities in the music scene of the time, with his life work spanning barely 4 years of activity from 1976-1980. His legacy continues to be felt more than 40 years after his death.

On 23 August 1975, Curtis married Deborah Woodruff, and in May 1977, the couple moved into their own house in Barton Street, Macclesfield, with one of the rooms of the property becoming colloquially known between the couple as Curtis’s “song-writing room.” This house in Macclesfield is where Curtis wrote the words to Joy Division’s iconic songs still celebrated today.

Our engagement thus far, apart from a highly immersive engagement with Ian Curtis’s creative output, aims to develop a project from within its local musical context and involves conversations on future use and our proposed concept designs for the house, with heavy involvement of the Client, Macclesfield City and local stakeholders.