The new Radisson Blu hotel in the heart of Sheffield is a union of old and new, with HLM restoring and retaining a Victorian facade plus adding a major volume and maximising views over the adjacent public realm. James Parker reports for ADF.
Radisson Blu has opened its first hotel in Sheffield, in a prime spot facing a key piece of public realm in the centre of the city. Designed by HLM Architects, it provides a new function for an underperforming site with a mix of uses – sitting behind and above retained historic Victorian facades of two prominent buildings. The project is a key part of the wider Heart of the City masterplan, a significant regeneration project led by client Sheffield City Council with its strategic development partner, Queensberry.
The part new build, part restoration hotel scheme is a complex and locally important project for HLM Architects, who have their largest studio in the city. The practice was determined to win this project, sitting in its prominent position, backing onto City Hall. It will not only provide 154 bedrooms, but mixed use elements including significant retail and restaurant space on the ground floor, plus a rooftop bar and restaurant
with a terrace overlooking the adjacent Peace Gardens.
HLM was part of a successful bid for the ‘Block A’ portion of the masterplan, together with contractor McLaughlin & Harvey, who also worked on a recent major commercial renovation of the Moor shopping centre in the city. ‘Block A’ is seen as the gateway to the new ‘Heart of the City II’ district from the east within the overall masterplan, and is located within the central conservation area close to historically significant buildings and public spaces.
HLM comment that the project was notable for a “commitment to preserving Sheffield’s Victorian heritage,” and this ran throughout, having been “integral to the development of the proposals.” By contrast, a former 1970s office building to the rear of the site, Barkers Pool House, was demolished to make way for the main portion of the two-volume hotel, a new addition containing the majority of the
154 bedrooms.
The Heart of the City plan spans different uses in sites across the city, including new Grade A office space, residential developments, restaurants and cafes, leisure destinations, as well as retail and public realm. The arrival of the Radisson Blu hotel is a key piece of this puzzle, helping attract new business opportunities to the city, and generally raising its profile as a destination for business and travel.
Site context
Project lead at HLM Ben Carrack comments that, having “lived and worked in the city,“ HLM were “acutely aware of the opportunity and also the challenges of the site, the responsibility that we had as architects to do this project justice.” The block sits to the west of the Peace Gardens, on Pinstone Street, to the rear is Burgess Street, and to the north is Barker’s Pool is a historic street opening up to public realm to the north west, across which is the City Hall.
The ‘Block A’ site, like many long-established central urban blocks, saw significant changes during the 20th century, but in the past contained some major civic buildings. Peace Gardens (originally St Paul’s Gardens commemorating St Paul’s Church which was demolished in 1938). A concert hall originally stood on the west corner of the site, on Burgess Street, but this was destroyed by fire in 1937, replaced by a department store in the 1960s.
There had been piecemeal development of the adjacent block, next to what was the Gaumont Theatre facing the City Hall, particularly during the 1970s, including a garage. The theatre was demolished in 1985 and replaced by shops, offices and an Odeon cinema, which in turn closed in 1994, becoming a nightclub.
Design response
Bearing in mind the somewhat ad hoc nature of recent development on the site, the architects’ proposal highlighted the “significant opportunity to provide a new, high quality, sustainable development that will revitalise and celebrate the rich heritage of Pinstone Street.” Ben Carrack explains that the practice was involved very early on in the scheme, before a hotel provider was selected: “At the earliest stage we worked with Sheffield City Council and Queensbury; they later appointed Radisson.”
The designers assert that as well as having “a considerable amount of regional knowledge,“ the practice having worked with both Sheffield City Council and Queensbury previously facilitated “open dialogue at all times.” Carrack explains further that there was genuine collaboration on this highly visible scheme: “This was a project close to everybody’s heart and so we worked together to get the best outcome.”
The key addition to the front of the site was a new rooftop extension replacing the existing mansard roof above the retained facade, behind which the various rooms were refurbished. At street level, 570 m²
of commercial space would be added, along with the principal pedestrian hotel entrance, plus conference & banqueting facilities which lead out into a new courtyard to the rear, the ‘heart of the scheme,” say the architects. There is a second hotel lobby leading from Burgess Street on the next level, and the third floor level contains the bar and restaurant. To the west (rear) of the site, a seven-storey block has been constructed for the majority of the bedrooms.
The practice commented on the importance of the project to HLM, including how it marks a step into new build hotel design. “We have a passion for regeneration and bringing new life into existing buildings. Tendering for the hotel provided an opportunity to increase our portfolio and expertise into new build hotels. Up to this point we’d just done hotel refurb, so to have the opportunity to build a new one in our city was just a great opportunity.”
The project, despite its many benefits for both HLM and the city, presented some major tests for the practice and wider project team. From the need to carefully demolish the existing building fabric on this prominent site, and retain and restore the historic Pinstone Street facade, these challenges also extended to ground works needing to occur over existing basements, and retention works to party walls with the building’s neighbours. Ben Carrack accepts that: “technically, this was an extremely complex project with many aspects to navigate.”
This is a busy, diverse city centre site, with a near one-storey level change between Pinstone Street and Burgess Street, posing perhaps the greatest challenge to the architect, as they sought to maintain access to the rear of the Gaumont building whilst offering the potential for an external courtyard. Pinstone Street is a major route, so deliveries would be difficult, and needed to be primarily from the upper level of Burgess Street, causing future challenges for the developing Transport Strategy.
There were a couple of related design challenges in erecting a new hotel to maximise the investment for the client on this tight site. Retaining the existing facade on Pinstone Street in particular (which once housed Palatine Chambers and City Mews) meant a prescribed window pattern on that elevation, which constrained the dimensions of rooms that could be provided, versus what could have been done with a more pragmatic modern hotel plan. In turn, this also impacted on the window arrangement that was possible on the new elevations.
In addition, the new seven-storey block on the west flank that replaced Barkers Pool House needed to respect its neighbours. As a result, this steps down to five stories to blend with existing buildings on Pinstone Street. Retaining the facade “presented challenges through the design stages but the end result was worth it,” says Ben Carrack.
A ‘subservient’ facade
HLM created a ‘manifesto’ early on in the project to “anchor the key design drivers for the project” and ensure everyone was on board. This principally “looked to draw upon and amplify the rich social and architectural history of the site, responding sympathetically to the existing material palette of the wider historic context in a contemporary reinterpretation for the Sheffield of today.” The practice asserts that while the design developed, this manifesto aim was “preserved in the submitted proposal.”
The concept for the new facades, including the rooftop extension on Pinstone Street was “conceived as a contemporary reinterpretation of Sheffield’s local Victorian building typologies,” after an extensive study of the existing Pinstone Street facade to understand its “order, layering and detailing.” Therefore to an extent, they reflect the existing facade but offer a modern take on the “distinctive thrusting bays and vertical proportions” of the original buildings on the site, whose facade remains.
The final design solution was subservient to the original forms, “retaining and celebrating” these features by incorporating turret forms and gables that echoed the original French Gothic-inspired roofline, particularly over Palatine Chambers. The process of arriving at this was aided by the “extensive pre-application engagement with Sheffield City Council“ which the architects say was a key factor in this project’s success.
While the rooftop extensions align with the “rhythm, order, and historical character” of the facades below, the difference between the two original buildings has been “reinstated,” say the architects, ultimately leading to a contemporary mansard solution over Palatine Chambers and a “distinct but complementary form” over City Mews. The detailing on the new forms also reinstates a sense of “historic verticality and solidity.” At the same time, reducing and reconfiguring massing through successive design iterations protects key views from the Peace Gardens and “responds more sympathetically to the nearby Salvation Army Citadel.”
As well as cleaning and repointing brickwork and stonework, existing elements to the facades were replaced and upgraded to bring the building up to modern performance standards. New timber elements have been included in colour-matched hues, and the existing cast iron balustrade was fully refurbished and re-painted to match the existing colour. Also, new powder coated aluminium windows, were frame colour matched to the facade cladding, including heads and reveals in a similar material.
External space
In order to maximise the benefits for hotel guests, shoppers, diners and locals across this tight site, the internal courtyard has been landscaped to “integrate a range of environmental and wellness considerations to create a calming and inviting outdoor space that connects people with nature,” say the architects. The design “harnesses the site’s microclimate, taking advantage of the shady conditions to support a lush and vibrant planting scheme,” including shade-tolerant species such as ferns, hostas, and perennials, plus a semi-mature which “serves as a key biophilic feature.”
To address the limited daylight in the overshadowed courtyard, a thoughtful lighting strategy has been employed such as feature lighting to keep the space “warm, welcoming, and usable” throughout the day and into the evening. Textured natural materials like granite setts and timber have been used to “support sensory engagement and comfort.”
The courtyard is designed to be a versatile social space for dining, gathering, and relaxation, with benefits for users ranging from social interaction to a place offering retreat from a busy urban environment. The inclusion of comfortable, adaptable seating encourages dwell time.
The rooftop bar and restaurant is the crowning glory, the restaurant’s design “displaying a decadent palette of timber and stone, enriched with burgundy and forest tones.” The artwork on show has a mix of “curious characters and abstract Indian heritage,” says Ben from HLM Architects.
‘Complementary colours’
The interior design of the hotel celebrates a clean, minimalist Scandinavian-inspired design as much as the local area. Many rooms offer views of the Town Hall and the Peace Gardens. However, materials and colours have been chosen to complement the city’s “strong historic identity,” says HLM.
The internal design of the hotel “merges Sheffield’s industrial heritage with the natural beauty of its surroundings, creating a distinctive and engaging environment throughout,” says HLM. Corridors and circulation spaces feature carpet designs inspired by natural forms, such as cloudscapes and rock formations, for a “tranquil and inspiring transition between rooms,” whereas guestrooms feature artwork showing the surrounding area to reinforce a sense of connection.
Steel structures within the furniture design reference Sheffield’s industrial past, while rugs depict the Peak District’s topography. Other materials, including timber, mirror, and stone “highlight the diversity of Sheffield’s modern character, offering a tactile and visual richness across the interiors.”
Conclusion
This new hotel is a major achievement for HLM, as its first new build hospitality project on this scale, and is also locally important as the final part of the jigsaw in the Steel City’s current masterplan, and its ‘gateway.’ With not only its modern hotel offering but also a range of desirable retail and F&B additions, the project is sitting in a good position to help Sheffield’s credentials as a real destination.
The project architect comments: “You can’t underestimate the significance that a new hotel brings to the city within a regeneration project. New hotels and business bring new people into the heart of the city and that is significant in itself; a hotel can be a key driver in a regeneration project and that’s why it was part of the wider masterplan.” On a sunny day, this really is a perfect spot!”
The project embodies placemaking, “layering of people, places, spaces, and multiple activities all coming together.” It also shows how a hotel can indeed be something that is “greater than the sum of its parts in our city, by being woven into the fabric.”
Studio director at HLM Delia Harmston concluded at the scheme’s outset: “As the economy restarts, our city centres will play a more important role than ever in ensuring the vitality and prosperity of communities throughout the UK. Pivotal to this is making sure that schemes are centred around people and focused on sustainability and wellbeing.” By celebrating and preserving the city’s heritage as well as bringing a new leading hotel group to its centre, the project has success built-in.
Project Factfile
- Client: Sheffield City Council/Queensberry
- Architect, interior design & landscape architect: HLM Architects
- Project manager, cost consultant & Principal Designer: Turner & Townsend
- Planning & heritage consultant: Montagu Evans
- Building control: Assent Building Control
- Structural/MEP fire engineer, fire engineer: ARUP
- Acoustician, resource and waste management consultant: ARUP
- BREEAM assessor and ecologist: HLM