If its already been posted I apologise!

Follow the link for some interesting news and images!

Click on urban design and campus planning, then UK revitalization projects and then Leeds! :)

http://www.koetterkim.com/

I've never been clear as to the status of the Koetter Kim plans. Have they been adopted by Leeds Council as a framework for future development or are they just the ideas of a particular firm of architects?

This is essentially blue sky thinking......Kotter Kim were commissioned to come up with some big ideas about the future of the city, hence the interesting roofing of Briggate. The three tower cluster appears to be sited on the current Crown Point Retail park. I can't imagine any of these ideas will come to fruition anytime soon.

I think I've seen those images before.
Yes same, I dont think they will come around any time soon. I'm also strongly opposed to a roof across Briggate. It would be too expensive and have too many problems. It would take effect of the Victoria Quarter too- not just the arcades but the buildings fronting Briggate. I would prefer the money to be spent developing it as a good outdoor location.
Also Leeds, Sheffield and Wakefield are really out of place on tht map- they should be much further south and further east.

A council memo recently confirmed the intention to redevelop Park Square, Assembly Street, St.John's Gardens and Chancellor Court (behind the Corn Exchange) sometime soon, as part of the plans. However, this is a long term project which is scheduled for completion around 2030 (!)

ook. I dont think we need to worry yet! Whats wrong with Park Square?

A council memo recently confirmed the intention to redevelop Park Square, Assembly Street, St.John's Gardens and Chancellor Court (behind the Corn Exchange) sometime soon, as part of the plans. However, this is a long term project which is scheduled for completion around 2030 (!)

Are you sure about this? I know the local authority is planning public realm improvements in these areas, along with the completion of the Briggate repaving. But, as Leeds No 1 says, there's nothing wrong with Park Square. Or with most of the others for that matter.

Maybe they're expecting them to look a bit rubbish among the futuristic new Leeds by 2030 and are just planning ahead!

Are you sure about this? I know the local authority is planning public realm improvements in these areas, along with the completion of the Briggate repaving. But, as Leeds No 1 says, there's nothing wrong with Park Square. Or with most of the others for that matter.

It's supposed to be part of the plan to turn Leeds into a 'new milan' :doh:
It's been on the table for a while now, including some form of re-paving for Vernon Street, next to the College of Art.
I'll keep my eye out for any new info, and i'll see if i can find the details.

International experts set to begin Leeds' urban renaissance

13/03/2003

International experts set to begin Leeds' urban renaissance

International experts from Yorkshire Forward’s pioneering Urban Renaissance Panel are to be brought in to develop a long-term vision for the future development of Leeds city centre and its suburbs.

Urban Initiatives, Urbed, Koetter Kim and Michael Sorkin – will join Yorkshire Forward’s Head of Urban Renaissance Alan Simpson; Leeds city council architect John Thorp and the city’s residents in addressing the city’s needs over the next three decades.

The panel members – who have already helped draw up long term visions for six of the region’s six towns and have now begun a similar process on a further six – see Leeds embracing the achievements of northern European cities such as Stuttgart, Bordeaux and Lyon.

Building on its unique architectural heritage, Leeds has the potential to become a modern-day Milan says Alan Simpson.

“Having established a clear understanding of where Leeds is as a national and international centre we will build a long-term vision to enhance that.

“Where Milan has its galleries Leeds has its arcades and it is possible to emulate Milan as a 21st century galleried city building on the wonderful history of the central area arcades. We need to link the prime architectural areas such as Briggate, the Headrow, Town and City Halls, Quarry Hill with high quality urban design and link the high economy centre with the other economies of the suburbs such as Morley and Hunslet.”

Alan Simpson said the work would build on the improved transport infrastructure being provided by Supertram linking the north of the city with the south.

Leeds City Centre Manager Pauline De Silva who will chair the renaissance steering group said the process would be two-fold.

“We will review existing special strategies and plans, making proposals for filling the gaps in line with urban renaissance principles and the ethos of the city council and secondly identify potential areas of strategic intervention to advance a renaissance vision for the city.”

http://www.leedschamber.co.uk/pdf/RaCBAMinutes.pdf

Not the same memo, however...
...Point 5.1 and 5.2 suggests it could be done within the next five years.

Someone dubbed Leeds as the Milan of the North, can't remember who. In a thread (now deleted) some buildings of Leeds were compared with Milan- some remarkably similar, but Im sure theres more which are nothing like each other than ones which have resemblance.

Someone dubbed Leeds as the Milan of the North, can't remember who. In a thread (now deleted) some buildings of Leeds were compared with Milan- some remarkably similar, but Im sure theres more which are nothing like each other than ones which have resemblance.

Much as I love Leeds, I don't think we've got anything to compete with this beauty
http://www.greatbuildings.com/cgi-bin/gbi.cgi/Galleria_Vittorio_Emanuel.html/cid_3128721.gbi

Bugger, the image won't post...

http://www.greatbuildings.com/cgi-bin/gbi.cgi/Galleria_Vittorio_Emanuel.html/cid_3128721.gbi

I'm not the one saying Leeds compares with Milan, just saying that some people have compared it with Milan. While I can see why, and can see resemblance in some areas like in the Victoria Quarter, Civic Hall, City Square...etc, generally the city doesn't particularly compare. Who knows anyway- one day people might be trying to compare with Leeds!
There are some great places in Leeds, but it doesn't seem to be carried out throughout the city (unlike Milan) - don't know why? For example, City Square is great, but as soon as you leave it theres nothing partiularly special- I guess Park Row is a bit different but not much to boast about. The Harewood/Eastgate quarters linking with Quarry Hill, the renovated market, and the Victoria Quarter could change this. The Headrow needs a good injection of money too- I'd rather see money put into The Headrow than a roof over Briggate.

I wasn't saying that you were!

My parents used to live in Turin so I know Milan pretty well, believe me whilst parts are stunning, it's got some crappy bits as well! Let's face it every city has, I'm yet to visit a city that is stunning throughout and very much doubt that one exists anywhere in the world.

We should be proud of what we've got in Leeds rather than feeling the need to apologise for the less than pretty parts.

Every place in Leeds (or any city) must have something going for it! Chapeltown is full of culture, and Harehills has a city estate vibe running through it! (Probably because of all the scals)

There are hardly any scals in harehills... its mostly asain. The chavs/scals come from the bordering gipton.

I love the Briggate plans. The trouble with us Leeds folk is we don't like change. I think we need to be more radical in our approach as long as the nice old buildings are maintained, I think Briggate would look good covered.

Well I wouldn't mind seeing some of it covered but theres already loads of covered spaces in Leeds. I wouldn't mind seeing Albion Street covered, or the upper part of King Edward Street, but not Briggate. I also think Briggate needs finishing off better towards the bottom- the top end always seems to look better, and busier and more liveley than the bottom, where the city centre seems to almost just 'stop'.

The Times called Leeds 'The Milan of the North' when Harvey Nichols opened ten years ago.

Preferable to City Square?

http://graphics.stanford.edu/~lucasp/pictures/italy/toswitzerland/milanstation4.jpg

I don't think Leeds folk are necessarily averse to change, however I think that there's far more pressing priorities for that area of Leeds than roofing Briggate, for example getting the Trinity Quarter and that awful arcade opposite sorted.

I don't think Leeds folk are necessarily averse to change, however I think that there's far more pressing priorities for that area of Leeds than roofing Briggate, for example getting the Trinity Quarter and that awful arcade opposite sorted.

Yes that 'awful' arcade (Market Street) badly needs sorting. I'm sure I saw planning permission given for that some months ago. If so I wish the owners would get on with redeveloping it. Probably waiting for some leases to expire, though.

It would be a missed opportunity if the arcade recieved a simple re-clad. It could be linked up to a glazed central road and the corn exchange beyond.