Shortlist announced for 26th Leeds Architecture Awards

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED JOINTLY BY LEEDS CITY COUNCIL AND LEEDS CHAMBER PROPERTY FORUM

The 2016 Leeds Architecture Awards look set to be the biggest and best yet; with nearly 80 nominations over seven categories the awards are back for their first ceremony since 2013.

A judging panel chaired by guest assessor Kit Martin, CBE, and featuring Paul Ellison from Leeds Chamber Property Forum and Kevin Grady, Director of Leeds Civic Trust will have their work cut out to pick winners from the raft of high quality entries.

The winners will be announced in March at a glittering ceremony in Leeds Town Hall. Categories include best new building, best conserved building and best temporary works as well as a people’s choice award. Also this year sees a special young people’s award, selected by a panel of young people who will choose their favourite building from this year’s award winners.

Organised by Leeds City Council and Leeds Chamber Property Forum the awards were set up to promote and show case best practice in architecture and design in the city. This year the John Lewis development and the Recycling and Energy Recovery Facility (RERF) are among the schemes shortlisted for an award. These two Leeds heavyweights are joined on the shortlist by 31 other developments.

The judging panel, chaired by guest assessor Kit Martin, visited each of the shortlisted schemes before deciding on the winners in each of the main categories. Kit, the son of Architects Leslie Martin and Sadie Speight, has spent a lifetime conserving historic buildings. He was awarded a CBE in 2012 for services to conservation and “in acknowledgement of the lasting and immeasurably valuable contribution to the field of heritage regeneration”. He has rescued from dereliction a series of major country houses with their landscape settings in England and Scotland and was the first Director of The Prince of Wales’s Phoenix Trust.

As well as Kit Martin the judging panel also includes representatives from the Leeds Society of Architects, Leeds Civic Trust, Institute of Historic Buildings Restoration, the Landscape Institute and Leeds Beckett University. A range of criteria will be used to assess each of the shortlisted schemes, including appearance, sustainability, fitness for purpose, relation to setting, appropriate use of materials, consistency of design, enhancement of the area and lasting qualities.

Paul Ellison, managing Director of Yorkshire Design Group, representing Leeds Chamber Property Forum, said:

“Leeds continues to grow in stature and further develop its profile as an enviable city in which to live, work and spend leisure time, and these awards celebrate the quality and ingenuity of diverse schemes and projects which all contribute to an improved experience of our urban fabric.

“The 2016 shortlist presents the opportunity not only to acknowledge excellence in major, headline-grabbing developments, but also to shine the light on the more modest, quirky yet equally valuable contributions to the character of our city”

Councillor Judith Blake, Leader of Leeds City Council said:

“Looking back at the landscape from 1987 when the awards first took place it’s difficult to believe we’re in the same city such is the transformation that has taken place through the building and development schemes since then.

“It’s great to see that we have restoration projects of historical buildings alongside new builds in the award nominations. I think this really reflects the character of Leeds and the way the city recognises its past while embracing the future.”

These awards are a great opportunity to highlight the good work going which is shaping our city and to show the world what Leeds has to offer”

Guest assessor Kit Martin said:

“It is astonishing that, in just 3 years, there are so many outstanding projects in every category. From the restoration and imaginative re-use of a very small historic building, which will no doubt encourage regeneration in the surrounding area, to an innovative recycling facility which is an example to the nation. With the high standard of entries there was robust discussion among the judging panel, and consensus was reached for a number of outstanding winners.”

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Notes for editors:

Shortlisted schemes for the 2016 Leeds Architecture Awards:

• 22 Street Lane Nursery, Roundhay, LS8 (altered building)

• 'A Spire', University of Leeds, LS2 (public art & landscape design)

• Algernon Firth building, St George's Road, Leeds LS1 (altered building)

• Arcade Building, Victoria Gate, Eastgate, LS2 (new building)

• Blackburn Wing, Bowcliffe Hall, Bramham, LS23 (new building)

• Bramley War Memorial, Bramley Park, Bramley, LS13 (public art & landscape design)

• Carlton Gate, Little London, LS7 (regeneration)

• Carlton Green, Carlton Lane, Rothwell, LS26 (altered building)

• Crispin Lofts, New York Road, LS2 (altered building)

• 'Drink and be Grateful Garden', Abbey Road, Kirkstall, LS5 (public art & landscape design)

• Edward Boyle Library, University of Leeds, LS2 (altered building)

• Headrow House, Bramleys Yard, 19 The Headrow, LS1 (conserved building)

• Iberica, 17a East Parade, LS1 (conserved building)

• John Lewis Building, Victoria Gate, Eastgate, LS2 (new building)

• Leeds City College - Printworks Campus, Hunslet Road, LS10 (altered building)

• Light Night Leeds 2016 (temporary works)

• Little London Community Centre & Primary School, Meanwood Road, Oatlands, LS7 (regeneration)

• Little Neville Street, LS1 (public art & landscape design)

• 'Mary's Tree', Roundhay Park, Roundhay, LS8 (public art & landscape design)

• Middleton Meadows, Ring Road Roundabout, Middleton, LS11 (temporary works)

• Oakwood Clock Community Garden, 484 Roundhay Road, Oakwood, LS8 (public art & landscape design)

• Oakwood Clock, 484 Roundhay Road, Oakwood, LS8 (conserved building)

• PAD, 71 Commercial Road, Kirkstall, LS5 (conserved building)

• Recycling & Energy Recovery Facility, Newmarket Approach, LS9 (innovation)

• Seacroft Grange Care Village, The Green, Seacroft, LS14 (altered building)

• Sovereign Square, LS1 (public art & landscape design)

• St Paul's House, Park Square, LS1 (conserved building)

• The Laidlaw Library, University of Leeds, LS2 (new building)

• The Lamb and Flag, 1 Church Row, LS2 (conserved building)

• University of Leeds MSCP, Vernon Road, LS2 (innovation)

• University of Leeds MSCP, Vernon Road, LS2 (new building)

• 'Untitled Bas-Relief', Stage@Leeds, Cromer Road, LS2 (public art & landscape design)

• Wapentake, 92 Kirkgate, LS2 (conserved building)

Award categories include:

• best new building, covering completely new developments in the city;

• best conserved building, focusing on restoration of historic buildings; altered buildings, celebrating new uses for existing buildings;

• best public art and landscape design;

• innovation, showcasing an innovative idea or an experimental design;

• best regeneration, featuring schemes on challenging sites which achieve a high level of sustainability;

• best temporary works, featuring temporary solutions to vacant sites and buildings

• Young People’s award, selected by a panel of young people who will chose their favourite building from this year’s awards.

The judging panel includes:

Paul Ellison, representing Leeds Chamber Property Forum; Kevin Grady, Director, Leeds Civic Trust; Keith Knight, Chair of the Institute of Historic Building Conservation; Mike Piet – Chair, Leeds Civic Trust; Edwin Knighton, Head of Landscape Architecture, Leeds Beckett; Alan Simson, Professor of Landscape Architecture, Leeds Beckett; and representing Leeds City Council, John Thorp MBE, Civic Architect; Phil Ward, Conservation and Design Team Leader; Mark Burgess, Group Manager (Environment & Design); Jenny Fisher, Urban Designer.

More information can be seen at www.leeds.gov.uk/leedsarchitectureawards