Work on the third phase of the redevelopment of Sheffield’s Park Hill Estate into student accommodation has been completed. Béton House provides accommodation for 356 students, including townhouses and a number of two- and four-bedroom apartments, and studios.
Alumno, the student accommodation specialist, worked with Whittam Cox Architects on the design and building shell restoration, as well as with Kier Construction to adapt the building. Homes for Students is now based at Béton House to welcome and settle in new students, and manage the building. Other collaborators were interior design businesses Ben Kelly Design and Brinkworth with Graphic Thought Facility.
“We create living spaces for students all over the UK. This year more than ever it is important to provide quality term time homes for students, and the adaptation of this amazing brutalist structure by Whittam Cox is exemplary providing an ideal place for students to both study and socialise,” said David Campbell, managing director of Alumno.
“The whole project has been a fantastic team effort from planning, design, construction through to the influence of some great creative interior designers and artists. It is so heartening to see Béton House fully functional and occupied and to see students enjoying living there.”
The students have joined a 700-strong community that has been living and working at Park Hill since 2013, following the completion of the first phase of development by JV Partners Urban Splash and Places for People.
“We have worked incredibly hard to understand the deep roots of the original design which is clearly very unique in architectural character. Our designs retain and celebrate all of the important elements of the original scheme, while respectfully adding new layers of identity and design thinking to create three-storey townhouses for student residents, using the famous ‘streets in the sky’ of course,” added Nick Riley, board director at Whittam Cox Architects.
“We are particularly proud to be associated with Park Hill as we are a local practice; this building is culturally and physically an intrinsic part of Sheffield for many people, so being part of realising its next chapter is hugely important to us.”
The second phase is set to complete at the end of next year and includes a further 195 homes and commercial space for businesses.
