Opened on 18 May 1891 and originally known as the “Grand Old Lady of Oxford Street,” the Palace Theatre was designed by Alfred Darbyshire and later altered by notable theatre architects Frank Matcham and Bertie Crewe. It survived a direct hit during the Manchester Blitz in 1940 and, after declining audiences in the 1970s, was granted Grade II listed status in 1977. Supported by the Arts Council and refurbished in the 1980s, the theatre was later sold to Ambassador Theatre Group in 2009 and gained Charitable Incorporated Organisation status in 2020.

Today, the Palace Theatre is one of the largest and best-equipped theatres outside London, hosting major touring musicals, opera, ballet, comedy, and concerts. In 2008, plans were proposed to redevelop it as the Royal Opera House, Manchester, creating a venue for regular seasons by the Royal Opera and Royal Ballet. Despite initial progress and negotiations, the project was ultimately shelved in 2010 due to wider arts funding cuts.

In order to ensure the theatre remains a vibrant and successful destination for locals and the wider region Studio DJL achieved listed building consent for a series of vital upgrades.

The upgrades have been mostly technical, with a sensitive consideration of the architecture. There was a consistent dialogue between Studio DJL and storage operators and the local authority at every step.