Month: September 2020

We arrive by train and dive deep underground.

The seemingly subterranean Bradford Interchange.

The Interchange was designed in 1962, it was hailed as a showpiece of European design when it opened in 1971.

Architects were the BR regional team headed by RL Moorcroft and the City Architect.

The bus station featured a large ridge and furrow design of overall roof, which was subsequently demolished in 1999 to allow for a rebuilding of the bus station, which was opened in 2001.

Above us the tiled edifice of the station buildings.

Though as ever plans are afoot:

Projects that could see over £100 million spent on transforming Bradford city centre are about to take the next step forward. 

The pedestrianisation of Hall Ings and Market Street, a new entrance to Bradford Interchange, and a park and ride scheme are all part of the Transforming Cities Fund – which will see tens of millions of pounds of Government cash spent on schemes in Bradford.

Examiner Live

Let’s get on a 615, 607 or 67 bus to see St Saviour’s – George Pace 1966.

It’s such a pleasant surprise when you see it appear from around the corner.

Let’s take a look inside.

The bus back to the centre of Bradford once again.

Once around the Magistrates’ Court – City Architect Clifford Brown 1972

Where the enormous BT building of 1976 awaits – architect Trevor H Hanson for PSA

They are commonly known to come in pairs – in this case partnered by this inter-war classical moderne telephone exchange – architect FA Key 1936

The Central Library 1965 Mr WC Brown – a striking podium and tower.

With a delightful Portland Stone relief.

Around the corner to the Ice Arena.

In January 1966 Mecca Leisure Limited opened the ice rink in Bradford under the name of the Silver Blades Ice Rink, it was reputed to be The finest rink in the world, with coloured lighting in the barriers, sparkling chandeliers over the ice, and a plush bar and restaurant. The resplendently dressed skaters were entertained with organ music. The opening gala at the rink had performances by British skaters who had just returned from the World Championships, they included Sally Anne Stapleford, John Curry and ice dancers Bernard Ford and Diane Towler.

History

Threatened with closure in 1991, saved by the protestations of the protestors.

Let’s take a look at the University particularly the striking tiled relief by Joe Mayo.

Plans to cover large swathes of the building in cladding, including the mural at the entrance of the Richmond Building, were first submitted in late December.

But after a wave of objections to the plans, including from National group The 20th Century Society and the son of the artist behind the work, the University has now amended the plans to retain the mural as a permanent feature of the building.

Telegraph & Argus 2021

Whole streets of houses were demolished, many people had to be rehoused as a result and work on Main Building began in May 1960.  The building was commissioned by the Local Authority and designed by the City Architect, Clifford Brown, then handed over to the Institute.  The lower four floors of Main were first occupied in October 1962; other parts of the building in 1963 and 1964.

When Main Building opened, it was part of the Bradford Institute of Technology.  BIT was about to achieve the century-old dream of a University for Bradford: it received its Charter in October 1966, with Wilson as its first Chancellor. 

Joe/Joseph Mayo also competed the meal at Bradford’s Rhodesway School.

Special Collections

Away now to not shop at the Co-op – WA Johnson 1935 a dizzyingly delicious horizontal vertical confection, with a central cylindrical glass column.

Let’s hot foot to the Kirkgate Centre and Market – John Brunton and Partners 1975.

Containing these William Mitchell reliefs and mysterious tiled panels.

The derelict former headquarters of Yorkshire Building Society, on one of the highest parts of the city centre, looms over the city centre, and to many people is the city’s ugliest building.

Although there have been vocal calls for High Point’s demolition, there are a growing number of groups and individuals calling for its preservation and celebration as a significant brutalist landmark in the event of any redevelopment. Speakers will also be asked to consider the future role of the Kirkgate Centre – another prominent brutalist building – in light of the centre’s proposed market refurbishment.

Telegraph and Argus

John Brunton and Partners 1973

Proposals would see the building – built in the 1970s as the headquarters for Yorkshire Building Society, converted from office space into an apartment complex.

Circus Developments was this week granted permitted development rights for the conversion, with the architect behind the scheme saying more details of the development would likely be announced this summer.

Examiner

It’s utterly freakish, the severed head of some Japanese giant robot clad in a West Yorkshire stone-based concrete aggregate, glaring out at the city through blood-red windows, the strangest urban artefact in a city which does not lack for architectural interest. The work of Brunton seems almost too appropriate for the combination of wild technological daring, Cold War paranoia, shabby corruption and crushed dreams that defined the Wilson era.

Owen Hatherley

John Cade inside the robot’s head.

Finally to Fountains

To begin at the beginning – the Eric Mensforth Building former Polytechnic library 1973 by Bernard Warren City Planner and Architect.

Sir Eric Mensforth was a leader of the engineering industry and a pioneer in the development of the helicopter in Britain.

The Polytechnic was formed from the College of Technology and now presents itself as the Sheffield Hallam University.

Gollins, Melvin, Ward & Partners 1953 – 1968.

Much of the original scheme has subsequently been reworked and clad.

Though through this stairwell there is access to an unspoilt elevation.

We now ascend into the Epic Development 1968 – 1969 Jefferson Sheard & Partners.

Home to the Cinecenta Cinema and Fiesta Club.

The Cinecenta Twin cinemas opened on 30th January 1969 located in the Pond Street development in the city centre, below the Fiesta Nightclub. This small circuit of cinemas was operated by Leslie Elliott of the Compton Cameo Group of Companies and the policy was to show films which the major circuits did not show, which of course meant that most of these films carried an ‘X’ certificate.

When it was opened by Keith and Jim Lipthorpe in August 1970, the Fiesta was reputed to be the largest in Europe. The club closed in 1976 following a 17-day strike by the workers who attempted to join the Transport & General Workers Union. It reopened under new management shortly afterwards before permanently closing in 1980.

From here we can see a classic modern pub the Penny Black

Can be a bit of a football pub and quite often there are drunks from other teams in there. I remember when Chelsea were up here a few years ago and one of their fans was so drunk he got in a taxi outside the pub, went round the block and got out again outside thinking it was a different pub. Luckily for him his pint of Guinness that he had left was still on the table where he had left it! 

Beer in the Evening

Once the haunt of postal and telecoms workers – whose buildings form the heart of the area.

Thence to the back of BHS and the rear of former Woolworths 1961 – Thomas and Peter H Braddock

Passing by the home of the Rebels Nightclub, it was previously The Penthouse owned by Peter Stringfellow.

I had my stag night in there in 1972 all I can remember is falling down all those stairs.

BHS opened 1960s – having become little more than a distant folk memory the premises are now occupied by B&M Bargains

BHS’s chief architect at this time was G. W. Clarke, who generally worked alongside W. S. Atkins & Partners, as consulting engineers. The stores – like Woolworth’s buildings – were composite structures, with steel frames and concrete floors. Clarke sometimes appointed local architects. At first, like C&A, BHS retained the narrow vertical window bays and margin-light glazing that had characterised high street façades in the 1930s, but by the end of the 1950s Clarke had embraced a modified form of curtain-walling. This architectural approach became firmly associated with BHS, with framed curtain wall panels – like giant TV screens – dominating the frontages of many stores.

Building Our Past

Around the corner to the Gallery Shops

Onward to the Magistrates’ Court 1978 and Police HQ 1970 – Bernard Warren City Planning Officer and Architect.

The West Bar Police HQ now the Hampton by Hilton

 Architect JL Womersley City Architect 1962-4 

Complementary full English breakfast buffet was nice, however on the second day everything ran out too early! 

To the left the former HSBC/Midland Bank HQ the enormous Pennine Centre aka Griffin House – construction started in 1973 on this immense building and was completed in 1975 – architects Richard Hemingway and Partners.

The tower is 50 m tall and has 13 floors of office space.

Pennine Five – P5 will be a place designed for the modern workforce, offering high quality and adaptable solutions for businesses of any size and sector.

Previously owned by US-based Kennedy Wilson, was sold for £18million to RBH Properties in the spring, which announced plans for flats and shops.

Seen on the walk, these wonderful ceramic panels, situated to the right of the revolving doors.

Around the corner to St James House 1966 Oscar Garry and Partners, another example of a modernist tower block, now refurbished for mixed commercial use.

Finally to the Cathedral – granted status in 1914, mediaeval in origin, though much altered, most recently in the 60s following the failure of Charles Nicholson’s earlier plans and an unimplemented George Pace scheme. Finally overseen by Arthur Bailey of Ansell & Bailey.

George Pace was responsible for the working of St Marks Broomhill.

And St Saviour’s on our Bradford walk next week

Tucked away in the far corner of the Chapel is a unique window by Keith New, created in 1966 in memory of Rowley Hill who was Vicar of Sheffield from 1873 to 1877. Its design is inspired by a vision of the Heavenly city with its twelve pearl gates represented by twelve pearly mosaic circles and the ‘glory of light’ being created by hundreds of tiny coloured Perspex tubes creating jewel colours through which light enters the chapel.

Heritage

Many thanks to Helen Angell and Sean Madner for their invaluable assistance, knowledge and encouragement.