A Leeds arcade which was transformed by Lathams has been shortlisted as one of the best places to be in Europe.
The Victoria Quarter is one of three places shortlisted in the ‘Great Place’ category of the Academy for Urbanism’s 2012 Urbanism Awards.
Announcing the shortlist, the judges said: “Complemented by careful design, the use of artists and a balanced mix of tenants, the Victoria Quarter’s original sense of place has been re-created. A popular venue, the Victoria Quarter now has an integral place in the character of Leeds.”
The transformation of Victoria County Arcade and the surrounding areas of Leeds has become widely regarded as one of the most successful regenerative city centre projects in the UK.
Lathams not only devised the strategy that has provided the lasting physical and commercial transformation of this part of the city, but also designed and delivered the project.
Faced with an arcade and surrounding streets which had become decidedly down-at-heel and underperforming, plans were originally draw up to simply refurbish the arcade. Lathams extended these to include adjacent streets with the intention of reviving the entire area and of creating a distinct 'quarter' and a destination.
A comprehensive programme of repair and restoration, complete with careful integration of current buildings and fire regulations, returned the arcade buildings to their original glory. To complement the refurbishment of these old buildings, we introduced a delicately modelled glazed, split-level roof over the whole of the pedestrianised Queen Victoria Street.
The covered street forms a giant conservatory, ideal for pavement cafes and street entertainment. The main feature along Queen Victoria Street is the award-winning stained glass window, which, at 120 metres long, is the largest in Europe.
The combination of listed building care, innovative new build and the integration of art led to the project receiving a Civic Trust Award.
Today the area is home to 76 leading fashion brands including Louis Vuitton, Vivienne Westwood, Mulberry and Harvey Nichols.
The arcade has been shortlisted in the Great Place category alongside Gillet Square in Hackney and Queen Square in Bristol. They will be judged as part of a process which also includes the categories of European City of the Year, Great Town, Great Neighbourhood and Great Street, with the results announced at an awards ceremony in London on November 11.
The Academy for Urbanism includes architects, planners, engineers, developers and designers. Chairman Kevin Murray said: “Urbanism is all about learning how building a better physical environment can improve our communities and our quality of life.”
