Mabgate is a richly layered part of the city, with historic buildings, the Lady Beck and a great independent creative community. Our proposal for up to 310 apartments, supported by shared amenity and commercial space, is on the site of the former Hope Foundry that produced machinery for the city’s textile industry in the 19th century.

Having been appointed through a design competition, Cunniff have worked with Leeds City Council, Leeds Civic Trust and a great project team to bring forward hybrid planning and Listed Building applications for the scheme. Our aim was always to create a granular collection of buildings, with a series of connected courtyards feeding into a new public route through the site.

The proposed architectural language is simple and carefully considered, drawing on the historic character of the area. The primary buildings, in brickwork with articulated roof forms, are connected by secondary linking elements. Just as at Hope Foundry, the largest openings within the scheme lead through the buildings into the spaces between them, with soft and hard landscaping offering places to rest, meet and socialise.