king’s tower, sheffield

The King’s Tower development in Sheffield proposes a 39 storey, 117 metre tall, residential building on the former Primark site in the Castlegate area of Sheffield.

The site occupies a strategic location in Sheffield’s city centre, a 750m radius around the site includes landmarks such as the Train Station, the Interchange Coach Station, the City Council, the Town Hall, the Cathedral, the Crown Court and the Quays. At the edge the City Centre, the River Don, Park Hill and Park Range remain within a 1km range.

Located at the junction of the two main urban axes (N-S and W-E) the site is prominent from most locations in the city. This is enhanced by the city’s topography (the lowest level following the river and the train tracks).

Conceptually the massing seeks to integrate with the existing building heights. This is achieved with a more solid ‘podium’ along High Street that ascends as it wraps around the Castle Square to the North. A lighter mass to the South and West is articulated from this arrangement.

The application includes demolition of the existing building and erection of a tower with commercial accommodation at the basement, ground and mezzanine level; plant at basement level; ancillary residential accommodation (entrance lobby, bike storage and substation) at ground floor. Residential accommodation is organised over 38 floors above including the change of use of part of the second floor accommodation within 59-73 High Street.

The scale, form, massing and materiality of the tower has been developed with consideration given to the visual impact at a local level and also within a wider city context. The tower will create a visual identity on the skyline and cement the regeneration of the area.