Great Horton Reimagined Project Wins MSA LIVE Award
July 28, 2024A cross-Pennine design project that re-imagines the bottom of Great Horton Road in Bradford has won the MSA LIVE Award for Best Collaboration.
The successful partnership between Bradford Council, Manchester Metropolitan University’s Manchester School of Architecture (MSA), and the University of Bradford, titled “Great Horton Reimagined,” was part of MSA LIVE, an annual programme that brings together master’s and undergraduate students from the Manchester School of Architecture to work on socially impactful and community-beneficial design projects. Out of 40 projects and 650 master’s students involved, Great Horton Reimagined stood out as the winning project, and it was the only project located outside Greater Manchester.
The project began in December 2023, with students working closely with Jade Ibegbuna, Bradford Council’s Head of Cultural Partnerships. The design focused on transforming the area connecting the Alhambra Theatre, the new Bradford Live venue, and the University of Bradford’s campus into a vibrant cultural hub. A second team also examined the city’s Heritage Action Zone.
The students conducted thorough research, including site visits, a City Hall tour, briefings on the Bradford City of Culture 2025 plans, focus groups, and discussions with University of Bradford staff and students. Their final design, encapsulated in a detailed scale model, features vibrant colour schemes, public art, and innovative façade designs to create an appealing and culturally rich environment. The design respects and complements existing buildings in the area.
Key elements of the project include a bookshop, a Parisian-style café, an art market, a ‘car café’, and green spaces with benches. The plans also include a revamp of the popular Love Apple Café.
The project received the MSA LIVE Award for Best Collaboration due to the students’ close work with Bradford Council, which allowed them to gain a deep understanding of the city, its history, and its people’s interests. There is also potential for the designs to be implemented in reality.
Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Planning and Transport, praised the project, stating:
“The standard of this project is exceptional and equals or exceeds anything that a leading architectural company or design consultant could come up with. The students have taken time and carried out extensive research to ensure that it is both sensitive to existing historic buildings at the same time as recognising the need for the area to be reinvigorated and serve both the nighttime economy and the university. Credit is also due to Jade and all the council staff and the university and volunteers who played a part in this.”
Emily Crompton, Senior Lecturer at the Manchester School of Architecture, commended the student team’s effort, saying:
“The student team showed fantastic teamwork throughout the project and created a productive and authentic connection with each other and the collaborator. The final presentation of their designs was professional and enthusiastic, the work was imaginative, well communicated, and the designs successfully merged existing local establishments with ambitious proposals for the street. This project really showed what MSA LIVE is all about!”
The winning students were awarded a certificate and received recognition from special guest Chris Stewart, Director of Collective Architecture.
Image Credits: Bradford Council
