John Lewis Sheffield: New images show redevelopment proposals drawn up by architecture student

Architecture student Luke Ball has come up with an alternative solution for the redevelopment of Barker’s Pool and the John Lewis building. Here he explains what it would involve.
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As an architecture student I have found it concerning that the construction industry is still one of the largest contributors to the climate crisis. We are taught to always find ways to retrofit and reuse in our design work, and yet the attitude across the city seems worlds away; Sheffield seems addicted to demolition.

The council has recently opened a public consultation into the future redevelopment of the Cole Brothers building (John Lewis) at Barker’s Pool, and I couldn’t help but notice that the only option not involving demolition was that of retrofitting the entire building over its existing footprint; whilst any option to create new green space results in its entire demolition.

How the old John Lewis site in Sheffield city centre would look under redevelopment plans drawn up by architecture student Luke BallHow the old John Lewis site in Sheffield city centre would look under redevelopment plans drawn up by architecture student Luke Ball
How the old John Lewis site in Sheffield city centre would look under redevelopment plans drawn up by architecture student Luke Ball
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I am proposing an alternative option – combining both retrofitting the existing building and creating a new public park. I believe that by retaining and retrofitting the north aspects of the building, and sustainably dismantling the car park and select sections of building frame, the design would combine the best aspects of each of the current proposals.

This would create a vision of a greener Sheffield, promoting sustainable reuse and promote Sheffield as a place of innovation, respectful of, but not restricted by, its history.

By retaining and retrofitting the current building’s north facade, the redevelopment would preserve the current identity and character of the city square and the building’s relationship with the square and City Hall. This would bring together the old, the new, and all in-between, to create a sense of identity and place.

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This is how the old John Lewis site in Sheffield city centre could look if it is redeveloped using Luke Ball's design idea for a retrofit and parkThis is how the old John Lewis site in Sheffield city centre could look if it is redeveloped using Luke Ball's design idea for a retrofit and park
This is how the old John Lewis site in Sheffield city centre could look if it is redeveloped using Luke Ball's design idea for a retrofit and park

On the ground floor, the facade could be modified through replacing the large display windows with more traditional shopfronts to allow access into each retail unit from Barker’s Pool, without significant change to the building’s character or the symmetry of the square. This allows for the internal spaces to be sectioned into multiple smaller units for a variety of uses, from retail and leisure on the ground floor, to offices and accommodation on the upper floors.

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The main entrance from Barker’s Pool could then be converted into an arcade to allow direct access to the embedded parkland directly through the building. Provisions could then be made for flexible indoor stalls or exhibitions to take place within the arcade. The creation of this arcade would also increase footfall to the units on either side, as people walking through would be given more time and incentive to interact with these retail/leisure spaces, whilst selected units could be allowed to overflow into the newly created park and create outdoor seating areas within the newly created green space.

The decision to remove a substantial portion of the current building frame is something which, as with total demolition, should not be taken lightly, and would still create a significant carbon impact as well as irreversibly altering the fabric of an important Sheffield building; however both far less so than would result from total demolition

This is an opportunity to take pride in our status as the UK’s greenest city and bring even more green space into Sheffield; supporting local wildlife, absorbing carbon, managing rainwater, and cleaning the air we breathe. By creating a new public park integrated within the retail and leisure spaces, a new public area would be created, providing space for people to meet and relax and would bring additional sustained footfall to the city centre.

How the former John Lewis site in Sheffield would look under redevelopment plans drawn up by architecture student Luke Ball, who wants to retain part of the existing building while creating a new parkHow the former John Lewis site in Sheffield would look under redevelopment plans drawn up by architecture student Luke Ball, who wants to retain part of the existing building while creating a new park
How the former John Lewis site in Sheffield would look under redevelopment plans drawn up by architecture student Luke Ball, who wants to retain part of the existing building while creating a new park

In addition to opening the centre of the building up to create a new green space and smaller building depth, the stepping of the south sections of the building’s frame would help to create a less imposing, more human-scale building, whilst increasing the direct sunlight into the outdoor space.

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This would preferably be achieved through the removal of only the top two storeys of frame at this section, however if required the two-storey segments of building could be created anew, with the facade composed of salvaged and reclaimed segments from the potentially demolished aspects which they would replace. Other materials such as the tiling and concrete from the car park could be reused and integrated into the landscaping and pathways to further reduce waste.

I believe that this proposal would provide all of the benefits presented by the third option currently under consideration; that of total demolition and replacing with a smaller building and public park; at a similar cost, however that it presents a significant carbon saving through the retention of the current building’ucture, and would preserve the rich architectural heritage and quality of both the building and Barker’s Pool.

The unique aesthetic and cultural significance of the retrofitted building and parkland would create a destination point within the centre and encourage in those who otherwise may not have reason to visit, whilst making a clear statement about the future, values, and innovation of Sheffield and its communities, cementing it as a destination and example of a green sustainable city with a character and sense of place unlike any other.

How the former John Lewis site in Sheffield would look under redevelopment plans drawn up by architecture student Luke Ball, who wants to retain part of the existing building while creating a new parkHow the former John Lewis site in Sheffield would look under redevelopment plans drawn up by architecture student Luke Ball, who wants to retain part of the existing building while creating a new park
How the former John Lewis site in Sheffield would look under redevelopment plans drawn up by architecture student Luke Ball, who wants to retain part of the existing building while creating a new park

The idea, design, visualisations, and report were created by Luke Ball and Eliana Fitzmaurice, Undergraduate Architecture/Architecture & Landscape students at Sheffield Hallam and University of Sheffield.