Completed in 1961, the Park Hill estate in Sheffield, designed by architects Jack Lynn and Ivor Smith, was initially famous for its radical vision:  streets in the sky, wonderful views, duplex apartments, district heating and modular construction systems. This positive vision later became overshadowed by the disintegration of the estate’s public realm and the spread of anti-social behaviour. 

To “remake” the estate, we needed to pay careful attention to the story this incredible building has to tell. A piece of graffiti sprayed onto a concrete bridge 30 metres off the ground proclaims, ’I love you will you marry me?’ This simple, romantic plea became a symbol of the estate’s refurbishment.

Working for Urban Splash and Sheffield City Council and in collaboration with HawkinsBrown, our masterplan gained planning in July 2007 and having been retained by the client to detail phase one, we have now completed 300 homes and commercial units. 

Nearly all the apartments are dual aspect on two stories while the building’s structural means the layout of the apartments vary. For example, the front door of one flat might be on the same level as the neighbouring home, but the actual apartment could be three floors away, above or below.

We created two new studio spaces on ‘Gilbert Street for the site’s newest tenants, creative agencies Uber and Human. New interventions include folding ply balustrades, frameless glass balconies and a new internal street to creative an invigorating working environment that retains the charm of the original building.