York Guildhall

Launch of international design competition to influence the future of York’s historic Guildhall and riverside

The Council have provided more details of the “design competition” that they hope will determine the future of the Guildhall when administrative staff leave the building early next year. In a press release they say,

“City of York Council will be launching a competition tomorrow (Tuesday 11 September) seeking nationally and internationally renowned architects to submit their design proposals which clearly demonstrate potential future uses for York’s historic Guildhall and riverside complex.

Registered architects are invited to develop their ideas for the Guildhall, the associated office accommodation, river frontage and boat yard, as part of an ‘Open Ideas’ competition, run by The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).

Entries will be sought from architects putting forward innovative ideas on how the potential of the Guildhall site and riverside could be maximised for the benefit of the city and its residents”.

Labour’s plan has been criticised for failing to guarantee the buildings future as the civic hub of the City and for glossing over the costs of, and timescales involved in undertaking, a major remodelling project. The concern is that the building – will be empty for a long period of time and will become a blot on the streetscape of a very sensitive part of the City Centre.