Building Leeds – interviews part 1

Image of Leeds skyline by Abby Dix-Mason

Firstly could you tell us briefly about yourself and your professional career?

Chris Thompson –

I started my profession as a quantity surveyor and worked for Balfour Beatty Major Projects. I started my own QS practice in 2002 and in 2004 set up Citu.

Kevin Bramley –

I am a Chartered Surveyor and a Consultant with CBRE the world’s leading commercial and real estate services advisor, where I am currently a Senior Director. I commenced working life with Weatherall Hollis and Gale in the summer of 1977.  Following qualification as a Chartered Surveyor, I joined St Quintin which later became part of CBRE.

I have been actively involved in many significant development projects in the city of Leeds and throughout the north of England.

Greg Keeffe –

I am an academic and practitioner.  I worked at Manchester School of Architecture for 18 years before joining Leeds as Professor in 2009.  I am a visiting Professor at TU Delft in Holland and ORT in Uruguay.  I have won several architectural competitions including a zero carbon neighbourhood in Whitelfield Nelson, Chorlton Park Housing in Manchester, and Urban Buzz self build housing.

Irena Bauman –

I have lived in Leeds since 1972 with only 5 year break in Liverpool to study architecture. It took me 10 years to start appreciating this city and I have made a very happy life here.

I set up practice with Maurice Lyons in 1992 [Bauman Lyons Architects] and built our home in Chapel Allerton in 1998 and then our office in Chapeltown in 2006. Our most recent project in Leeds is the installation in Dark Neville Street designed with the Berlin Artist Hans Peter Khun and Leeds based Andy Edwards Design. I have recently been appointed Professor of Sustainable Urbanism in University of Sheffield School of Architecture.

What is your overall view of the Architecture in Leeds as a city compared to other cities such as Manchester, Sheffield & Birmingham etc?

Chris Thompson –

In recent times Leeds has never been bold as a city to curate great architectural statements but rather to encourage volume mediocrity that is neither particularly offensive nor loved. I don’t think that we should necessarily compare ourselves to other cities in the UK but when you do you can see the impact of civic leaders, bold developers and architects with zeal who have made a real impact on a city like Manchester. Many of the new buildings in Leeds city centre were done by a handful of clients, architects and council team throughout the boom times of the early to mid noughties.

Kevin Bramley –

Leeds along with other major cities has a rich history of architectural styles and quality.  Largely they reflect the economic circumstances in the period in which they were built. The result of the evolution is that Leeds does have a rich mix of architectural styles and characters.  In many ways it is similar to the other cities of Birmingham, Manchester and Sheffield, although all three of these other cities for one reason or another (bombings!) have had larger areas to develop and regenerate rather than smaller in fill pockets than in Leeds.

The relative size of each of the economies and the dynamic of viability have also influenced the sizing of the buildings that each city has responded to the dynamics of demand local to their economies.

Greg Keeffe –

I think Leeds is more interesting than Sheffield… just, it has a better scale of buildings, but Leeds has deleted its 60s stuff, where Sheffield has re-invented theirs. As a Mancunian I am probably biased, but I don’t think Leeds is as exciting as Manchester, if I’m honest.  There is a lack of world class practices in the city, excepting Bauman Lyons.  I’m not sure why this is.  I think maybe Manchester punches above its weight and Leeds a little below.  Leeds recent buildings are rather corny generally and corporate.  I wonder if the long-standing City Architect in Leeds also had something to do with it. They should make Irena Bauman the next one that would sort things out!

Irena Bauman –

Leeds has been through an extraordinary boom over the last 15 years, a period that has come to an abrupt end with the financial crisis in 2008. It is indisputable that we have missed a great opportunity because the city did not have a sense of direction nor a sense of self. We had no strategy, no master plan, and no requirement for quality or sustainability.

We have build a city of ‘ blocks on plots’ disconnected from each other and a surplus of commercial space evidenced by the Forrest of for let and for sale signs. Most of the new architecture in Leeds has focused on profit to the detriment of quality and delight. It is enough to take a stroll through Sheffield or Manchester to see what could have been.

Do you see Leeds as a city thats best architecture is in its more historic buildings such as The Corn Exchange & Town Hall etc? What more recent buildings do you feel will stand the test of time and be loved by future generations?

Chris Thompson –

The Victorian architecture was designed to make a statement – perhaps sometimes for reasons of satisfying ones ego or demonstrating great engineering prowess, but nevertheless it still had purpose. In latter times, the frenzy for developing quantity has left a number of very disappointing buildings in our city. There are some notable exceptions however such as the Broadcasting Place which is a fantastic piece of architecture. The development at Granary Wharf and Holbeck Urban Village are both of good quality too.

Kevin Bramley –

The Corn Exchange and Town Hall are both iconic buildings within the city. In more recent times, the development of the Victoria Quarter by roofing over Queen Victoria Street and King Edward Street has provided a treasure for the city.

Architecturally, the emerging arena appears to be presenting another building with substantial presence and will no doubt be a talking point for many years to come.

The new pavilion at Headingley and including the development of education facilities within the rugby and cricket ground complex present the city and Metropolitan University as forward thinking in the use of architecture and multi use of premises and buildings. In particular, the cricket ground pavilion presents and reflects a visual output of the city of Leeds on a worldwide television platform.

Greg Keeffe –

It would be sad for an architecture professor to think that.  I know Leeds has some excellent historic buildings, but I think there is a more exciting future ahead.  I like our own Broadcasting Place.  I think the Alsop at Headingley Cricket ground is interesting too. Smaller bits are good too I think Bauman Lyons’ Sure Start in Little London is a very civilised scheme and I really like their Neville Street Station Underpass perforated walls.

The main problem is that Leeds has been overrun with Corporate Architects delivering schemes that could be built anywhere and for anyone, and are generally derivative of somewhere else but with cheaper materials. I also think the river frontage could be amazing, but the development there has been dreadfully poor.

My actual favourite is the Roger Stevens Building at Leeds University by Chamberlin Bon and Powell. Monumental Modernism at its best!  A breathtakingly amazing thing.  I also like the Mechanical Engineering Building Futurist facade – great stuff!

Irena Bauman –

Yes that is the case. There are some wonderful old buildings here dating from the times when the city was proud. I am struggling to think of a single new building that has taken my breath away. However I do think that The Calls and the Round Foundry area in Holbeck are outstanding regeneration successes and illustrate a point that when we conserve the old qualities the new additions tend to be of a better quality then when we have an empty site. The Tower Works development will still be here after The Mint is gone.

Part 2 of the interviews will be posted on Culture Vulture next Tuesday, 13th March and the third & final part on Friday 16th March.