City’s architecture to be celebrated this week at the 27th Leeds Architecture Awards

Leeds’ buildings, places and spaces are to be celebrated this week at the 27^th Leeds Architecture Awards.

The 2019 Leeds Architecture Awards promises to be a fantastic event on Thursday (28 February), with architects, developers, artists and regeneration specialists gathering at Leeds Town Hall to celebrate the high quality of recent developments across the city.

Organised by Leeds City Council, the awards aim to promote a sense of pride in the new developments that are reshaping the city and making a major contribution to its future development and prosperity.

This year, 58 schemes were nominated across 5 different categories- Altered Buildings; Conserved Buildings; New Buildings; Public Realm and Landscape Design; and Regeneration Schemes. These nominations were then shortlisted to 24 and judging took place last September.

Among those shortlisted are Kirkstall Forge, Central Square Winter Garden, Bramley Library Hub, Sunny Bank Mills, CATCH (Community Action to Create Hope) and many more fantastic pieces of architecture and community projects.

Leeds has an ambition to become the best city in the UK and the quality of its architecture and built environment, together with its landscape and public art, all have a crucial role to play in realising this ambition. Several projects have a strong community focus, run by volunteers or charitable organisations who are passionate about improving their local neighbourhoods.

The judging panel was chaired by guest assessor Hiro Aso (Head of Transport and Infrastructure at Gensler) and they had the difficult decision to pick winners from the raft of high quality entries.

Councillor Judith Blake, Leader of Leeds City Council, said:

“Building design tells the story of our city, not just of the city centre but of our communities and neighbourhoods too. These awards are a core part of recognising how Leeds is developing and regenerating for the better, of showing how neighbourhoods, communities and centres are being developed so they can respond to economic change and help improve the health and wellbeing of residents.

“The city’s economic success can be seen by the cranes on the skyline and by the innovation and quality in our buildings. Our economic success allows us to invest in people, their health and wellbeing, improving education, tackling low pay, securing better social and economic outcomes from large organisations in Leeds. Celebrating our architecture is celebrating both the history of the city and the potential we have now.”

Hiro Aso, Head of Transport and Infrastructure, Gensler, said:

“Placemaking is key to city growth – it’s about working collaboratively with organisations, local government, and businesses, with and for people, to animate the public realm and generate a relevant 'sense of place' within the city. Having worked on the development of a masterplan for Leeds Station as it anticipates the arrival of HS2, I have learnt and continue to learn a lot about Leeds and I am continually surprised by the richness and diversity in its physical and non-physical qualities.

“The Leeds Architecture Awards are so important, not just in Leeds, but in the wider context of the UK and Europe because they celebrate and set a standard for design, vision and innovation and I feel privileged and honoured to be a guest assessor. I wish the applicants many congratulations and best of luck for their nominations!”

ENDS

Notes to editors:

Shortlist as follows:

Altered Buildings

• Logik Centre, 5-7 Lifton Place, Leeds LS2
• St Michael’s College (now CQ The Court), St Johns Road, Woodhouse LS3
• Institute for Transport Studies, 34 - 40 University Road, Leeds LS2
• Bramley Hub, Hough Lane, Leeds LS13
• Merrion House, 110 Merrion Centre, Leeds LS2
• Eagle Tavern, North Street, Leeds LS7
• Former York Road Library, York Road, Leeds LS9

Conserved Buildings

• Edward Boyle Library, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2
• The Lost & Found (former Leeds Club), 3 Albion Place, Leeds LS1
• Fine Arts Building, University Road, Leeds LS2

New Buildings

• Kirkstall Forge, Abbeydale Way, Leeds LS5
• CATCH Leeds - ARK, Hovingham Avenue, Leeds LS8
• Central Square Winter Garden, Leeds LS1
• John Lewis, Victoria Gate / Harewood Street, Leeds LS2
• Cafe Sylva, Louis House, Princes Avenue, Roundhay LS8
• Dakota, 8 Russell Street, Leeds LS1

Public Realm and Landscape Design

• Kirkstall Forge, Abbeydale Way, Kirkstall LS5
• Poppy Wall Art, North Lane, Headingley LS6
• A City Less Grey, various locations within Leeds City Centre, LS1 and LS2
• The Hare, The Compton Centre, Harehills Lane, Leeds LS8
• Legs Walking, City Square, Leeds LS1
• Pop up and Play (2016/18), Victoria Gardens, Leeds LS1

Regeneration Schemes

• Sunny Bank Mills, 83-85 Town Street, Farsley LS28
• Kirkstall Forge, Abbeydale Way, Kirkstall LS5

The judging panel includes:

• Paul Ellison - Leeds Chamber Property Forum
• Alan Simson - representing the Landscape Institute
• Mark Burgess - Group Manager (Environment & Design), LCC
• James Arkle - representing Leeds Society of Architects
• Phil Ward - Conservation & Design Team Leader, LCC
• Martin Hamilton - Director, Leeds Civic Trust
• Hiro Aso - Head of Transport & Infrastructure, Gensler
• Jenny Fisher - Principal Officer (Environment & Design), LCC
• Seamus Corr - Principal Landscape Officer (Environment & Design), LCC
• John Thorp MBE - Former Civic Architect, LCC
• Keith Knight - Chair, Institute of Historic Building Conservation

More information can be found at www.leedsarchitectureawards.com.

For media enquiries please contact:

Leeds City Council communications and marketing

Tel: 0113 378 6007

Email: communicationsteam@leeds.gov.uk