Projects
- Conservation Architecture & Heritage Consultancy
The White House – York
Bowman Riley collaborated with the Places for People Asset Management Team and the appointed contractor to refurbish The White House, an 18th-century Grade II listed building in York used as office accommodation for Places for People.
The project unfolded as a comprehensive refurbishment aimed at resolving water ingress issues, preserving the building’s structural integrity, and enhancing both its external and internal aesthetics.
The primary challenge lay in investigating and mitigating water ingress, a concern that threatened the building’s longevity. Our team meticulously examined the property, identifying areas requiring immediate attention, including rendering, flashing, and chimney repairs. The team seamlessly integrated these repairs while ensuring the interventions were in harmony with the historic character of the structure.
Externally, the building was rejuvenated with a breathable white paint application, carefully selected to protect and preserve its heritage charm. The restoration also addressed a shared gutter issue, preventing further leaks into neighbouring properties. Internally, the bathrooms and kitchens were revitalised with a complete internal redecoration breathed new life into the spaces, creating a refreshed appeal for the building’s occupants.
The refurbishment of the White House project delivered tangible benefits, transforming the space to meet both the functional and aesthetic needs of office users. The refreshed interiors provide a modern, comfortable working environment, perfectly aligned with the project’s overarching goals.
Please see other commercial projects.
Grantley Hall Hotel and Wellness Retreat – Ripon
The magnificent Grantley Hall opened in the summer of 2019 as one of the UK’s most luxurious hotels and spas in the UK. This five-star country retreat is the only member of Relais & Châteaux in Yorkshire, was named ‘Best Newcomer 2020’ by Conde Nast and labelled the second-best new luxury hotel in the world by Luxury Travel Intelligence.
Bowman Riley delivered the transformation of the elegant Grade II* listed Grantley Hall into one of the UK’s finest country hotels and wellness retreats.
Surrounded by 30 acres of beautiful Yorkshire countryside, the magnificently imposing Grantley Hall is set on an artificial island created by the canalisation of the River Skell in Ripon.
The 17th century classically styled property was built as a private residence for the Grantley family. Extensions in the 18th and 19th centuries followed leaving a principally Georgian elevation. The building has enjoyed a colourful history which includes its use as a shooting lodge, convalescent home during the Second World War and an adult education college.
Inspired by its grandeur, the renovation of Grantley Hall accentuates the historic details of the imposing property featuring a magnificent dual height presidential suite, signature restaurant, brasserie and cocktail bar set in exquisite formal gardens.
To complement the historic Hall, a new spa building and bedroom wing have been created in a modern Georgian style. Four months after opening, the Three Graces Spa was awarded 5 Bubble Luxury status by the Good Spa Guide.
A new subterranean Garden Pavilion building featuring a bar, private lounge, an exclusive after-hours club and restaurant has been integrated within the 1910 listed Japanese garden restored to become one of the most important of its type in the country.
The renovation of the historic hall alongside the creation of two new bespoke buildings allows hotel guests to experience a five-star luxury getaway in opulent surroundings.
We worked with a Yorkshire based consultant team including project managers and surveyors, Lucas Lee, engineers GHD and the interiors were delivered in conjunction with JMDA. The two main contractors were locally based, RN Wooler & Co and HACS. This team along with numerous other consultants and subcontractors made the Grantley Hall vision a reality.
Grantley Hall won the Heritage Award at the 2020 RICS Social Impact Awards Yorkshire and Humber and has reached the national finals.
RICS Head Judge Mark Rugg said:
“Grantley Hall oozes historic character and quality. After decades of inappropriate uses and vacancy the multi-phase Grade II* listed mansion dating back to the 17th century, has been lovingly transformed into a five-star hotel and wellness retreat. The painstaking restoration programme included extensions and new buildings designed to enhance the character and use of the site. The Japanese Garden is a jewel in the crown and was designated a Grade II Registered Park and Garden during the course of the project.”
The George Hotel Repair and Conservation Works – Huddersfield
Huddersfield
Bowman Riley provided conservation architecture to Kirklees Council on the George Hotel, an elegant Grade II* listed 1851 landmark with an Italianate façade designed by William Walker next to the railway station to meet the needs of the Victorian traveller.
The industrial revolution brought the arrival of the railway and increased wealth, resulting in the development of Huddersfield town centre, including the George. The building is famous as the birthplace of rugby league in 1895 when 21 rugby clubs met in the hotel and voted to secede from the Rugby Football Union to set up the Rugby Football League.
In 2013 the 60-bed hotel closed due to competition from chain budget hotels. An essential part of Huddersfield’s history, the Council purchased the George.
Our role was to help bring this listed building back into use, prolong the life of the building fabric and enhance the significance of the external façade by replacing inappropriate interventions and advice on the re-purposing to ensure no harm to the buildings’ heritage significance.
Working with the Council and Historic England, we identified the significance of the George to inform the strategy for repairing the building’s fabric. We assessed the general condition of the building to identify critical issues both internally and externally. We prepared a comprehensive repair strategy, considering the significance of the various elements of the building fabric and the cause of the defects, and the likelihood for future degeneration and proposing the appropriate repair solution.
The work predominantly involved stonework repairs, window replacement and roof repairs. We worked with the scaffolding company to determine methods for erecting the scaffold to ensure minimal harm to the building and a CARE-accredited Structural Engineer.
With the repair works now complete, our team is currently working on the next phase of the George Hotel project be transform it into a Radisson Red hotel ready to welcome guests to an experience that seamlessly blends history with modern luxury.
“We want to give a massive shoutout to our amazing project team… Their expertise and attention to detail have been instrumental in the successful completion of the work. Hats off to them —they’ve given The George Hotel a well-deserved makeover! The building has been meticulously restored, retaining its historical significance while embracing modernity, and has given the hotel a new lease of life.”
Nigel Hunston, Kirklees Council
Read more about the project in the media with articles in the Insider, Yorkshire Live and Huddersfield Unlimited.
See more of our heritage projects here.
Barclays’ Bank High Street Branch Retrofit Programme
Bowman Riley supported Morris and Spottiswood to bring their expertise in architecture, conservation architecture, and the role of principal designer to support a nationwide overhaul of Barclays Bank’s retail branches.
The programme supported Barclays Bank’s plans to reshape their branch network over a 3-5 year period to adapt to the demands of modern banking, which included a series of retrofits and some branch closures.
The projects focused on refurbishing the exteriors, tackling stonework, windows, and roofing while also reconfiguring the interiors with new layouts, digital display installations, and updated decor. This comprehensive refurbishment aimed to enhance everyday banking experiences and refresh the bank’s brand with new screens and signage.
Collaboration with Morris & Spottiswood was key, ensuring that all work adhered to regulations, particularly given the historic and listed status of many buildings. As conservation architects, we assessed Barclays’ portfolio of Grade II and Grade II* listed properties, spanning from the early 18th to early 20th centuries. We prepared detailed Heritage Statements and determined the necessary permissions for refurbishments—whether listed building consent or lawful development certificates.
Our assessments covered over 15 historic sites, with most requiring only a lawful development certificate, streamlining the process for swift and efficient progress. Through this careful and strategic approach, we facilitated a transformation that respects the past while embracing the future of banking.
See more of our retail projects.
The Judge’s Lodging Hotel – York City Centre
Daniel Thwaites Plc
York (Central Conservation Area)
The Judge’s Lodging is a Grade I listed Georgian townhouse built in 1710 as a private home before becoming the official residence of the Assize Court Judges.
Supporting Daniel Thwaites from the project’s inception, Bowman Riley helped with the due diligence process prior to the hotel’s purchase by preparing designs to liaise with English Heritage, local authority conservation and historic building specialists, York Civic Society and Georgian Society.
Working with the heritage specialists, we designed the redevelopment of the property, which involved re-planning the flow of the building and demolition of 20th century ad-hoc extensions.
Specific challenges involved the co-ordination of demolition and building works without disturbing medieval human skeletal remains in the historic graveyard (in the rear hotel courtyard) or the Roman defences below the front courtyard.
We introduced a new main entrance directly into the bar and restaurant, new first-floor Cask Bar, new kitchen and new build courtyard bedrooms. As part of the atmospheric Cellar Bar, we designed a stunning glass box, where visitors can dine and get a feel of the outside inside and a new sun terrace for al fresco drinks and dining.
Since the relaunch of The Judge’s Lodging Hotel, it has become one of Thwaites’ prestigious Inns of Character, it has also been awarded a 5 star AA Inn Award, Best Small Commercial Building at the LABC Awards and was shortlisted for Constructing Excellence Yorkshire & Humber Awards 2015 in the category of Heritage.
“…thank you for all the hard work that you and the team have put into The Judges’ Lodgings… seeing it complete I have to say that you have done an amazing job of addressing the issues and flow within the building and creating a stunning contrast between the new and old at the rear of the property. We are all absolutely delighted and very proud of what has been achieved by all involved.” – Rick Bailey CEO, Thwaites Brewery
“The Judges Lodging is a magnificent Building of the early 18th C with some exceptionally fine interiors. Thwaites and their design team are to be warmly congratulated for this very ambitious, wholesale development of the entire site – that combines comprehensive restoration of the historic fabric and interiors with an ingenious and delightful reworking of the rear courtyard – to provide outdoor eating areas and additional bedroom suites. It is very gratifying to see a important but very vulnerable historic building being given a new lease of life by a commercial enterprise – rather than having to turn for its survival to charity or public funds.” – York Design Awards
” It’s difficult to believe, looking back to the start of the project, but before Thwaites bought the Judges Lodging, it was a hotel that was struggling to survive.
Thwaites’ design brief was straight forward, “create the best Inn within York’s historic city centre” and to be fair, they let us have the time we needed to really get to know the building. Not just it’s structure, with its unique features and twists and turns, but it’s historic significance, set directly between a Roman fortification and the graveyard of pre-Norman St Wilfrid’s Church, with its large quantities of human skeletons to be retained intact. The entire site was of understandable interest to Historic England, York’s Conservation and Heritage officers, plus the city’s Georgian Society. There was a lot of enthusiasm to bring this Grade I Listed building back to life, but it needed doing in a measured and controlled manner.
The first stage was to make the building watertight and undertake repairs to the vulnerable structure. We were then able to explore how we might change the internal circulation of the building, by creating a new main entrance into the bar. During this period we struck lucky, by finding and then opening up, a previously hidden staircase that linked the two main public floors.
The rear of the building saw the most significant change, with us securing consent to demolish a number of recent extensions and out-buildings, to be replaced by dual level external terraces and five contemporary bedroom suites. Inside, the building was completely transformed with the restoration of period staircases, timber panelling and the bold use of period colours and vibrant modern fabrics. All of the dated mechanical and electrical systems were renewed throughout, to ensure full statutory compliance and meet the expectations of a worldwide customer group.
It’s fantastic to see a wonderful building restored and brought right back up to date, commercially earning its keep in a very competitive market place. It’s a great example of how an historic building can be opened to the public, whether that’s for tea and cakes, or a few nights in the comfort of an antique four-posted bed, with views over York Minster.”
John Coultas, Director Bowman Riley
View more of our hotel and restaurant experience here
The Beverley Arms – East Riding of Yorkshire
Daniel Thwaites
Beverley, East Riding of Yorkshire
Bowman Riley designed the redevelopment of the Grade II listed Georgian Beverley Arms located in a conservation area opposite the impressive 12th-century St Mary’s church in the town centre of Beverley.
The former coaching inn, the Beverley Arms, was built in 1794 with an older core. In 1967, the property underwent radical alterations, including a new five-storey flat-roofed block. The struggling 55-bedroom hotel fell into administration in 2016, leaving the property vacant and needing sympathetic renovation.
Daniel Thwaites acquired the property with plans to transform it into a five-star inn as part of its Inns of Character portfolio. The project involved the sympathetic renovation of the building, retaining significant features, including the famous ‘Old Inn Kitchen’ painted by Fredrick William Elwell in 1922 and making the most of the setting adjacent to the church.
Our design balanced the need to improve the spaces’ function whilst respecting the building’s fabric and historic significance. The inappropriate 20th-century extensions were demolished, including an overbearing 1960s block in the courtyard and a conservatory.
We designed a smaller, more sympathetic extension in keeping with the local context. The new building houses courtyard rooms overlooking the outdoor terrace. The new building allows sunlight to penetrate the external courtyard and dining areas creating appealing spaces for both hotel guests and attracting day visitors and the local community to enjoy dining and drinking.
We transformed The Beverley Arms into an AA Five-Star rated inn with 38 bedrooms with the entire ground floor devoted to great spaces for drinking and dining with a public bar, restaurant and external courtyard.
The development has brought vitality back to this important local landmark, which contributes to the growing success of Beverley’s visitor economy. The Beverley Arms was named one of the Times newspaper’s Top 10 British Hotels of 2018 and was crowned the winner of the Leisure and Tourism category at the RICS Awards 2019.
Due to the success of the food and beverage, we returned to the hotel in 2022 to enhance the external courtyard by adding glazing and new seating areas.
See The Guardian review of the Beverley Arms.
Images courtesy of Daniel Thwaites.
Middletons Hotel – York City Centre
The House of Daniel Thwaites
York, Inside York City Walls
Centred around a picturesque courtyard garden within York’s historic city walls and dating back to 1700s, Middletons Hotel comprises 56 bedrooms spread across eight different buildings – six of which are Grade II and Grade II* listed – together with restaurant and leisure facilities.
Middletons has been operating as a hotel since the 1970s. Daniel Thwaites acquired the property in 2017 and appointed Bowman Riley to support the phased redevelopment of the site. An initial review of the hotel revealed that many of the bedrooms were tired and in need of refurbishment, with aspects of acoustics and fire protection between bedrooms in need of updating.
The design concept at the Middletons Hotel is to celebrate the history of each building whilst adding elements of modern guest experience that people expect from a city centre hotel. This design plays on the unique characteristics related to the heritage of each part of the site.
The first phase of works started on site in January 2019 following lengthy negotiations with York City Council. It involved the refurbishment of 18 bedrooms within Cromwell House and Sir Joseph Terry Cottages, which comprises two guest suites. The Grade II 19th Century Cromwell House was originally a sawmill complex, and one of the walls at the far end of The Sawmill restaurant is actually part of an old city jail. Designed by the architect Walter G. Pentry in 1899, the Grade II Listed Sir Joseph Terry Cottages were former almshouses funded by public subscription in memory of Sir Joseph Terry, former mayor.
The hotel remained in operation throughout the works, but careful coordination between the hotel manager, client and contractor ensured that disruption to guests was kept to a minimum. The bedrooms and guest suites were handed over in April 2019 to the delight of the guests. Bowman Riley also acted as the principal designer during the works to ensure health and safety compliance.
In 2022, we returned to the project to begin designing the second phase of works involving the refurbishment of the Grade II* listed Lady Anne House over two floors with 19 rooms. This listed building takes its name from Dame Anne Middleton, who was the wife of the Sheriff of York in 1659 and funded the hospital. In 1829, the property was rebuilt and extended. By 1972 it was nearly derelict when it was purchased and incorporated into the hotel. In the centre of the front is a statue of a woman, which is believed to survive from the original building. At Lady Anne House, we are designing the refurbishment of the bedrooms, replacing ensuites and adding new secondary glazing and air conditioning along with external works involving resurfacing of footpaths including ramped access and railings .
Further phases at Middletons Hotel will comprise the conversion of function rooms within the Organ Factory into two guest suites, works to Chaplin House, no. 56 Skeldergate and Staff House.
See more of our hotel experience here or contact us to talk about your development ideas.
Swinton Park Country Club and Spa – near Masham, Ripon, North Yorkshire
Swinton, near Masham, Ripon in North Yorkshire
The Swinton Estate, one of England’s largest privately owned estates, is set within 20,000 acres, much of which is designated as a Grade II* Registered Historic Park and Garden.
Bowman Riley supported the design delivery on the site of a new country club and destination spa inspired by the stunning countryside in which it lies.
Sitting right in the heart of the estate, adjacent to Grade II listed Swinton Park – a 32-bedroom hotel and cookery school – the design combines both existing estate buildings with new contemporary structures.
The new spa is home to nine treatment rooms, an 18-metre pool, a steam room and sauna, six treatment rooms, three heat experiences, a rasul, wellness pool and full fitness facilities. Outside there within a secluded spa garden is a herbal sauna and shower, a cedar hot tub plus a 10-metre natural water swimming pool.
The wider estate has been incorporated into the overall offering with the use of produce from the four-acre walled kitchen garden – the largest hotel kitchen garden in the UK – and using the outdoor space for activities such as walking, hiking, running, cycling or outdoor yoga.
Next to the spa, The Terrace restaurant serves dishes by Swinton’s Executive Chef, Simon Crannage. The restaurant, kitchen and lounge are accommodated in a converted and extended joinery shop building, which cleverly brings the outside in with light and airy rooms. A wood-panelled bar and coffee house adjoins The Terrace, housed in the former powerhouse, with its own courtyard garden. The large terrace garden provides space for alfresco dining.
In 2020, we were subsequently commissioned to design a new laundry building to sit unobtrusively within the estate grounds, which achieved planning consent.
First aired in 2021, the Swinton Estate was featured in the BBC Two TV Series, Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond the Lobby, catch it on BBC iPlayer.
View more of our hotel and spa experience
Firth Street Mill Residential Development – North Yorkshire
Skipton, North Yorkshire
Bowman Riley was commissioned to design the conversion of the vacant Firth Street Mill located in Skipton’s conservation area into a residential development for award-winning developer Candelisa.
Firth Mill was built in 1877 during the Industrial Revolution as it lay on the Leeds-Liverpool Canal. At this time many mills sprung up in the area including Firth Mill. The mill building previously housed a warehouse, storage and offices but in recent years was largely redundant.
The residential use of the Mill for housing fits in with the surrounding residential houses neighbouring the site. The development enhances the character of the conservation area by restoring the Mill for residential use, retaining the history of the area and bringing it into modern day use.
The development provides 35 one and two bedroom apartments to meet the housing demand in the area. The floor layout for each apartment is bespoke and responds to the existing structure and openings in the Mill building. The design was developed with close attention to the original structure and the existing openings and columns were retained internally as far as possible. The design of the apartments makes use of the existing large windows offering each flat a recessed balcony and maximum daylighting to each apartment.
The appearance of the mill remains largely as before maintaining and upgrading the principal elevations. The elevations retain the original openings, alternating between replacement full height windows and recessed balconies, providing interest and depth to the elevations. Images courtesy of Candelisa.
Firth Street Mill reached the finals of the LABC awards 2018.
Images courtesy of Candelisa and Heidi Marfitt.
Wm Morrison Supermarkets – Kidderminster
Wm Morrison Supermarkets Plc
Kidderminster, West Midlands
Bowman Riley designed the new Morrisons supermarket in Kidderminster. The supermarket was the first in the country to be awarded a BREEAM Excellent rating under the 2006 retail scheme, and provided the company with a greenprint for stores of the future.
The redevelopment of the historic former carpet factory includes a new 77,000ft2 (gross) supermarket, the refurbishment and extension of a Grade II Listed office building with a change of use to museum space, an associated 390 car parking spaces and environmental and infrastructure improvements.
Some of the sustainable features include:
- Combined Heat and Power (CHP) systems to generate part of the store’s on-site electricity with the waste heat generated used to heat the store
- Heat reclaim from refrigeration equipment is to be used for water heating
- Solar panels on the roof will provide hot water
- Intelligent lighting control systems will minimise artificial lighting needs
Cavendish Pavilion – Bolton Abbey, North Yorkshire
Devonshire Hotels and Restaurants
Bolton Abbey, Wharfedale, Yorkshire Dales
Bowman Riley designed and project managed the major refurbishment of the Cavendish Pavilion, a historic tourist attraction in the heart of The Bolton Abbey Estate in the Yorkshire Dales, which was completed in Spring 2012.
The Pavilion is set within a conservation area and areas designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest, including an ancient woodland (mainly oak) and the length of the River Wharfe known as The Strid.
Originally built in 1898 to serve tea and cakes to the thousands of visitors who arrived by train, The Pavilion resembles a Victorian style station building.
Refurbished in the 1980s, the Cavendish Pavilion needed to be upgraded and renovated to meet the needs of modern visitors.
The refurbishment works comprised the removal of low height exterior sleeper walls, which had acted as a barrier to custom and separated the venue from its environment. Internally, new glazing for the doors and windows was installed to increase natural lighting, new café servery to upgrade and modernise the facility and refurbished WCs.
The Pavilion was reopened by the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire in May 2012 in time for the summer tourist season and was Highly Commended in the Tourism & Leisure category at the Pro-Yorkshire RICS Awards 2013.
Craven Court Shopping Centre – North Yorkshire
Private Client
Skipton Town Centre, North Yorkshire
Craven Court Shopping Centre is situated just off the main High Street in the centre of Skipton, a bustling market town on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales.
The shopping centre was originally developed and expanded from a 16th century theatre. The development of this enclosed shopping centre was completed in 1988 and is based on a Victorian theme with wrought iron work and glass roof. The original stone walls are partly listed and provide a traditional backdrop to the shopping experience.
Craven Court is home to 28 stores from national names such as Laura Ashley, Wallis, and H. Samuel’s to small independent retailers.
Bowman Riley was commissioned to provide feasibility schemes for the reconfiguration and extensions to the shopping centre. The brief was to create a method of enticing shoppers from Otley Street into Craven Court through integrating the external street scene into the existing units.
Sunlight analysis was undertaken to position the external seating area in the most suitable locations. The design created an avenue that linked the new facilities to the existing High Street whilst maintaining the composition and aesthetics of the conservation area status.
The Chocolate Works Mixed Use Development – York
Bowman Riley masterplanned York’s historic Terry’s Bishopthorpe Factory, creating The Chocolate Works, a vibrant new neighbourhood that won a Game Changer Award at the Yorkshire Property Awards.
Constructed in 1927, Terry’s chocolate factory became an iconic part of the York skyline and was a significant local employer. The site includes five Grade II listed 1920s Art Deco buildings: the Clock Tower and Boiler House, Fruit and Nut store, Headquarters, Time Office and Main Factory.
The factory was the heart of Terry’s operations until Kraft Foods acquired it in the 1990s, and operations moved to Europe. The factory closed in 2005, leaving the buildings vacant English Heritage added five listed buildings to its at-risk Register.
Henry Boot Developments purchased the site in 2013, tasking us with masterplanning a sustainable new neighbourhood. Though the previous owner had secured planning, it didn’t meet the evolving needs of the local population and was heavily weighted toward office and retail.
After reassessing the market and engaging with local people, we focused the masterplan on addressing significant residential demand driven by population growth and an ageing population. We created a masterplan that allowed HBD to adopt a phased approach to the site over several years.
We undertook feasibility studies for developments on the site including a hotel, offices, convenience store and medical centre. We also provided principal designer services to support the health and safety of the development.
The development now delivers 163 apartments and a commercial unit within the Factory; The Clock Tower now houses 21 apartments within the Clock Tower; a dementia care village within the Headquarters building; a new build 40-bedroom Acquired Brain Injury hospital. In addition, the iconic clock was restored, and a museum was created within the clock tower, The Liquor Store hosts a café, dentist, and offices with new streets, squares, green spaces, children’s play areas, and a Peace Garden connect the site to nearby districts.
View more of our masterplanning experience
The Great Hall, James Graham Building – Leeds Beckett University
Leeds
Bowman Riley successfully designed and delivered a £1.3 million refurbishment of The Great Hall within the landmark James Graham Building as part of the wider refurbishment of the Headingley Campus.
Built in 1912 as a purpose built training college, the Grade II James Graham Building is a large three storey redbrick building designed in the renaissance style presiding over three acres of parkland.
Bowman Riley designed the restoration of The Great Hall from the campus library back to its original purpose as a large flexible space.
The project entailed the removal and subsequent relocation of the campus library. The new library facility was designed to a smaller footprint with greatly improved functionality.
The restored Great Hall now seats 200 people for formal dinners and accommodates 350 for receptions and exhibitions. Our designs retained and restored the period features including the wood-paneling and grand windows whilst introducing state-of-the-art AV technologies.
View more of our education experience here
Brodrick Building Office Refurbishment – Leeds City Centre
Moorgarth
Leeds city centre
Bowman Riley provided the interior design on existing office accommodation within the Grade II listed Brodrick Building located directly to the north of Millennium Square in Leeds city centre.
Built in 1864, the three-storey building was designed by Cuthbert Brodrick, a leading Victorian architect, who transformed Leeds city centre with the design of the Town Hall, Corn Exchange and City Museum.
Renovated in 1988, the building interior needed a full facelift of the upper office floors to attract prospective commercial tenants.
Our design concept involved defurbishing the interiors by transforming the space based on the exposure and enhancement of the building’s original features rather than a standard refurbishment, which tends to add features such as additional walls and suspended ceilings.
We revealed the features of the building that had been covered up during its life as standard office configuration. Existing timber beams and Victorian brickwork were exposed and sand blasted to create dramatic interior spaces. Exposed services were installed with galvanised metal finishes to complete the industrial aesthetic and create visual features throughout the spaces.
New flooring and kitchens were added to provide an overall unique office space in a central location for prospective tenants.
Skipton Town Hall Refurbishment – North Yorkshire
Skipton, North Yorkshire
Bowman Riley provided strategic master planning on the Skipton Town Hall complex of buildings located on the High Street . The Grade II listed Town Hall was built in 1862 and today is home to Craven Museum & Gallery, Tourist Information and Skipton Concert Hall.
Working closely with Craven District Council, the masterplan was developed into a series of phased projects that could be delivered according to the client’s programme and allocation of funding.
On the first phase of the strategic masterplan, Bowman Riley provided full architectural design, project management, CDM coordination and cost advice from inception to completion. Phase One created a striking contemporary extension providing a new accessible entrance to the side and reinstated the original entrance to the front, replaced the public facilities, created a commercial unit on the ground floor to let and refurbished office spaces.
The demolition of an existing building close to a busy public highway required coordination with the local highways authority, the contractor and the client team and resulted in public safety at all times.
Careful planning between the contractor and the client team enabled the works to be undertaken while parliamentary elections were taking place within the building.
Now complete, the Skipton Town Hall project has restored the building as a key civic asset by providing an active frontage and vibrant street scene. The project sees the sustainable re-use of a public building improving the public realm and community facilities, whilst also providing a source of revenue from the refurbished lettable space.
Kirkstall Brewery Student Accommodation – Leeds Beckett University
Kirkstall, Leeds
Bowman Riley transformed the derelict Kirkstall Brewery in Leeds into award-winning accommodation for over 1000 students.
This significant education project entailed the design of a new building and the re-use of a series of substantial 19th century listed buildings adjacent to the Leeds – Liverpool canal forming part of the regeneration of this area of Leeds.
The development involved the adaption and re-use of listed buildings with a massing of new build forms that maintain the strength and stature of the original brewery.
A safe and accessible student village was created, which is an imaginative social use for the site and an opportunity to conserve and enhance the character and identity of this area.
Kirkstall Brewery Residences won the City of Leeds Award for Architecture, was praised by Professor Derek Linstrum FSA architectural historian and featured in the RIBA publication: Leeds, Shaping the City.
University of Leeds Refurbishment Programme – Leeds
Bowman Riley partnered with the University of Leeds to support the long-term upgrade of its varied and complex estate.
We were commissioned to survey and design the upgrade of circa 50 University buildings, including a number of listed, highly engineered and highly serviced properties, to ensure full access for all in compliance with the Equality Act.
Established in 1904, the University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university and a member of the Russell Group. Its 1,230 acres of land contain a mixture of Gothic revival, Art Deco, Brutalist, and postmodern buildings, making it one of the most diverse university campuses in the country in terms of building styles and history.
As part of the programme, we worked a number of listed buildings including:
- Clothworkers Centenary Concert Hall Grade II listed, formerly a Presbyterian church built in 1878-79
- E C Stoner (1968), five storey Grade II listed building designed by Chamberlin Powell and Bon
- The Brotherton Library (1936) – Grade II listed Beaux-Arts brick building
- The Great Hall 1894 – The Great Hall is a grade II listed Gothic Revival building
- Michael Sadler Building (1939) – one of the largest facilities on-campus with the 340 seat Rupert Becket Lecture Theatre
- The Garstang Building (1968) is a Grade II L shaped building designed by Chamberlin Powell and Bon
Brotherton Library External Lift – University of Leeds
University of Leeds
Leeds, West Yorkshire
Bowman Riley Building Consultancy was commissioned to provide architecture, project management and the role of principal designer on a new lift for the unique Brotherton Library on the main campus at the University of Leeds.The Brotherton Library is a 1936 Grade II listed Beaux-Arts brick building with art deco fittings. The original lift was designed to transport books between floors and cannot be modified to accommodate wheelchair users. The University needed a new lift to provide full wheelchair access to the library in line with the Equality Act Bowman Riley’s solution was to create a new external lift shaft and walkway. Centrally located, the lift provides access for all library users and improves the fire evacuation process for disabled users Initially the planners insisted on a traditional brick construction for the new lift, which is
The Brotherton Library is a 1936 Grade II listed Beaux-Arts brick building with art deco fittings. The original lift was designed to transport books between floors and cannot be modified to accommodate wheelchair users. The University needed a new lift to provide full wheelchair access to the library in line with the Equality Act.Bowman Riley’s solution was to create a new external lift shaft and walkway. Centrally located, the lift provides access for all library users and improves the fire evacuation process for disabled users Initially the planners insisted on a traditional brick construction for the new lift, which is
Bowman Riley’s solution was to create a new external lift shaft and walkway. Centrally located, the lift provides access for all library users and improves the fire evacuation process for disabled users.
Initially the planners insisted on a traditional brick construction for the new lift, which is labour intensive, costly and has increased health and safety risks. We actively engaged with the planners in the design process through early and continued consultation, which resulted in the agreement to install a steel frame lift shaft with a robust high performance cladding system. This reduced the construction programme on site, provided a financial cost saving and reduced disruption to the day to day activities of the highly utilised library facilities.
The design enables wheelchair users to obtain access to all floors of the Brotherton Library independently and with assistance if required.
Listed Georgian Townhouse Refurbishment – Bloomsbury, London
Private Client
Bloomsbury, London
Bowman Riley was appointed to design the refurbishment of a Grade II listed Georgian town house at John Street in the Bloomsbury Conservation Area.
Built between 1799 and 1824, 15 John Street is a four storey property including a basement and the centre house of 11 terraced houses. Originally designed and used as a residential property, it had been converted into offices in later years.
With planning permission for a change of use secured in 2013, Bowman Riley’s design proposals are to remove a number of added features that remain from its previous office use and to restore it to its original function as a five bedroom family home.
The design proposal is to extend the property at the rear and enlarge a light-well, internal alterations, light refurbishment to the elevations and retain key historical features.
The character and appearance of the listed building will be maintained and any repairs carried out with the utmost care to maintain any distinctive features. The proposals of the internal layout is to make minor amendments to the house to ensure its suitability for today’s and future use.
Drill Hall – Minnie Street, Haworth
Candelisa Ltd
Haworth, West Yorkshire
Bowman Riley was commissioned by award-winning developer Candelisa to transform a vacant 19th century Drill Hall and adjoining land into seven bespoke homes in the heart of the picturesque Yorkshire village of Haworth famed for the Bronte sisters.
Identified as a key unlisted building within the conservation area, the Drill Hall had been vacant for a number of years. The adjacent outbuildings and remainder of the land were no longer in use and unkempt providing a negative impact to the area.
The development involves the conversion of Drill Hall into four 2 bedroom houses and the development of three 3 bedroom individually styled terraced homes on adjoining land with off-street parking.
The design seeks to enhance the character of conservation area, by restoring and converting the existing Drill Hall for residential use, retaining the history of the area and bringing it to modern day use. The development of the new dwellings on the adjacent land are needed to facilitate the viability of conversion and long-term retention of the drill hall. Each of the new three bedroom properties are to be built in stone with variations in window detailing to reflect the best examples of neighbouring properties. The new residences will respond to the local vernacular and sensitively integrate within their surroundings.
In October 2015, planning approval was obtained for the development and construction is planned for 2016.
Images courtesy of Candelisa. To register your interest in the development please email: sales@candelisa.com.