Great Horton Road reimagined by students in design project

It’s thanks to a collaboration between Bradford Council, Manchester Metropolitan University's Manchester School of Architecture, and the University of Bradford.

MSA LIVE is an annual programme that brings together Manchester School of Architecture’s Masters’ students and undergraduates to work on design projects with businesses and organisations which create a social impact or have a community benefit.

Out of 650 Masters’ students, 80 collaborators, and 40 projects, and the only one located outside Greater Manchester, Great Horton Reimagined was selected as the winning project.

The group of students started research for their design in December, working with Jade Ibegbuna, the council’s Head of Cultural Partnerships.

Jade suggested a project that built on Bradford’s existing heritage and looked at the bottom of Great Horton Road, which links the Alhambra Theatre and the new Bradford Live venue to the University of Bradford’s campus.

A second project team looked at the city’s Heritage Action Zone.

The re-design of the street put forward by architecture students (Image: Bradford Council)

They carried out extensive research of cultural and heritage strategies, including site visits, a tour of City Hall, a briefing on the Bradford City of Culture 2025 plans, working with a focus group, and discussions with staff and students at the University of Bradford.

The final design, which was made into a detailed scale model is described as using “vibrant colour schemes, public art, and innovative façade design to create a visually appealing and culturally rich environment”.

The design is also mindful of and complementary to the existing buildings in the area.

Key features include a bookshop, a Parisian-feel café, an art market, a ‘car café’ and green spaces with benches. Great Horton’s much-loved Love Apple is also revamped in the plans.

The project won the MSA LIVE Award for Best Collaboration because of the way the team worked closely with Bradford Council.

This enabled the group, none of whom had visited Bradford before, to gain a detailed insight into the city, its history, and the interests of its people. It is also possible that the designs could be implemented.

Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, Bradford Council’s portfolio holder for regeneration, planning and transport, said: “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.”