We are thrilled that Velvet Mill has been announced as a finalist for the Architecture Today Awards 2022 for buildings that have stood the test of time.

The awards are celebrating longevity and building performance, and the shortlisted projects demonstrate a strong track record for delivering on their environmental, functional, community and cultural ambitions.

Velvet Mill is the second phase in the regeneration of Lister Mills and part of a fantastically robust complex of derelict weaving mills in a formerly deprived area of Bradford but now a major focus of regeneration that has been led by developers Urban splash in conjunction with David Morley Architects, Bradford City Council and Yorkshire Forward. Originally built in 1838 and once the world’s largest silk mill, Lister Mills is a stunning collection of Grade II* Listed mills and warehouses dominating the Bradford skyline. Now converted into 190 apartments, including a new two storey roof top extension, community and 6,500 sq ft commercial space at ground floor level, these residential apartments and ground floor commercial units showcase these original features nodding to the building’s heritage.

It is hoped that through a combination of careful craftsmanship and design, the massive, industrial but ornate character of the building has been retained, along with the sense of innovation of its pioneering commissioner, the latter demonstrated in the design of the roof top pods which result in a logical extension of the existing buildings, working with the grain in a way that perhaps Samuel Lister, if he had been here today, would have wholeheartedly supported.

Thank you to Save Britain’s Heritage and Urban Splash for helping to showcase Velvet Mill as a resilient example of a building that has stood the test of time with a true sense of place in its historical setting. Many congratulations to Pollard Thomas Edwards, Lambeth Borough Architects Department, Patel Taylor, Proctor & Matthews and RCKa for each of their nominated residential projects in the awards.