Leeds students add winning touch to city development
STUDENTS from the Leeds College of Art & Design got a taste of architectural success after winning a design competition linked with a key development in central Leeds.
The challenge, set by Bracken, developers of the £25m mixed use development in The Calls area of the city, required BA (Hons) Interior Architecture & Design students to provide concepts and design proposals for the reception area of the 30,000sq ft serviced office development in phase one of Calls Wharf.
The winning team consisting of Anna Molas, Chris Dawson, Martha Burrough and Michael Jordan were presented with a cheque and will see aspects of their design ideas incorporated into the Calls Wharf development.
John Clark, of Bracken, said that the developers had been “hugely” impressed by the creativity and ingenuity of the submitted projects. and that choosing a winning design had been difficult.
“It was extremely difficult choosing a winning design but the winning team particularly impressed us with their empathy with the serviced offices concept,” he said.
“Given the location, the serviced offices which make up the biggest part of the development are ideal for young creative businesses and what better way to reflect this than to involve young creative people in the design.”
Anna Molas, of the winning team added:
“The design was intended to reflect the ideas of nurture and safety that lie behind the concept of serviced offices, it featured a lot of soft curves and padded surfaces to give it a reassuring, protective feel.”
The Calls development will also provide around 30,000sq ft of space for restaurants, bars and residential apartments, and potentially, a further 40 to 50,000sq ft in new build grade A office space once the initial phases are complete.
