Chesterfield’s Whittam Cox Architects recognised for redevelopment of iconic Sheffield estate
Chesterfield-based Architects Whittam Cox has won an AJ Retrofit Award in the listed buildings category £5 million and over for it’s work on Beton House in Sheffield.
The AJ Retrofit Awards, by The Architects’ Journal, celebrate the design expertise behind the vital renewal and repurposing of existing buildings, setting a precedent for ways to reduce the industry’s carbon footprint in the process.
Béton House is the third phase of the redevelopment of Sheffield’s iconic Park Hill estate. Originally completed in 1961, Park Hill is the largest listed building in Europe and is regarded as a significant brutalist building of heritage. Working with Alumno Group, Whittam Cox created a new 8-bedroom 3 storey townhouse typology that fitted into the constraints of the unique Park Hill architecture.
At this year’s AJ Retrofit Awards, the judges commended Whittam Cox’s approach to retaining as much of the original scheme as possible, which has saved a total of 577 tonnes of CO2 emissions. As a ‘holistic scheme’, they thought the model of adaption should be celebrated and described the completed scheme as ’a lovely project that captures the spirit of the Retrofit Awards’.
Nick Riley, Board Director commented, “Winning this design award is testament to the hard work and commitment from everybody involved in delivering this incredibly special and unique project.
“Our approach to the design was about being authentic and respectful to the structure and facades. We felt it was important to retain, repair and reinstate as many original elements as we possibly could. The addition of carefully selected coloured elements, both internally and externally, adds new character and identity which is rooted in its culture and history.”
Matthew Borland, Associate Director added: “As a team, we have worked incredibly hard to understand the deep roots of the original design which is clearly unique in architectural character.
“Our designs for Béton House retain and celebrate all of the important elements of the original scheme, while respectfully adding new layers of identity, using the famous ‘streets in the sky’ to create a unique student living offering in Sheffield city centre.
“Our aim was to be able to express Béton House as a coherent piece within the Park Hill estate as a whole that formed a framework for other collaborators to work within so that all new interventions could be well considered with a consistent and timeless feel.”
Whittam Cox supports the marketing and economic growth of the town through Chesterfield Champions, a network of over 200 organisations across Chesterfield and North Derbyshire.
