Arts Tower

For another building, see Arts Tower (Panama City).

Building in Sheffield, England

Arts Tower

Arts Tower in 2013

Record height
Tallest in Sheffield from 1965 to 2010[I]
Preceded by| Sheffield Town Hall
Surpassed by| St Pauls Tower
General information
Type| University
Location| University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
Coordinates| 53°22′58″N 1°29′14″W﻿ / ﻿53.382738°N 1.487289°W﻿ / 53.382738; -1.487289
Construction started| 1961
Completed| 1965
Opening| 1965
Renovated| 2009-11
Owner| University of Sheffield
Height
Roof| 78 m (256 ft)
Top floor| 78 m (256 ft)
Technical details
Floor count| 20

The Arts Tower is a building at 12 Bolsover Street in Sheffield, England, belonging to the University of Sheffield and which opened in 1965. A spokesperson for English Heritage described it as "the most elegant university tower block in Britain of its period".[1] At 78 m (256 ft) tall, it is the second-tallest building in the city, after the 101 m (331 ft) St Paul's Tower on Arundel Gate, which was topped out in 2009.[2] Mitchell Construction a British civil engineering firm, built the Arts Tower.[3] Photographs from their topping out ceremony in October 1964 help to document a different era in UK working conditions.[4]

## Architecture

[edit]

Designed by architects Gollins, Melvin, Ward & Partners (GMW), construction of the tower started in 1961 and lasted four years.[5] Contrary to popular belief, there is no documentary evidence to suggest that the design was directly inspired by the similar, but much larger, Seagram Building in New York City, or for the theory linking it to the CIS Tower and New Century House in Manchester, England - although the similarity of aesthetics between the four buildings is undeniable. When asked about the possible inspiration of Mies van der Rohe's buildings in the United States, GMW project architect Robert Smith explained instead that the form of the building came from the surrounding context.[6]

Entry to the building was originally made by a wide 'bridge' between fountains over a shallow pool area in front of the building. This pool was eventually drained and covered over when it was found that strong down drafts of wind hitting the building on gusty days caused the fountain to soak people entering and exiting the building.[5]

Paternoster lift

Circulation is through two ordinary lifts and a paternoster lift which, at 38 cars, is the largest of the few surviving in the United Kingdom.[7]

A bridge at the mezzanine level links the tower to Western Bank Library.[5] This building was also designed by Gollins, Melvin, Ward & Partners--the two buildings are intended to be viewed together.[8] The Arts Tower and Library are Grade II* listed buildings.[9]

The buildings can be visited during office hours, although visitors may have to sign a register and show identification.[10]

## Original accommodation

[edit]

The building was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, in June 1966;[5] it has 20 storeys and a mezzanine level above ground. These housed the Departments of Landscape, Modern Languages, Philosophy, Biblical Studies, and Architecture, as well as the library administration, before the building's refurbishment. As its name suggests, the building originally housed all 18 of the university's arts departments, which had far fewer students in the 1960s.[5] Noticeboards for long rehoused departments such as History and Social Science survive in the basement foyer area. There are also two floors below ground level that house nine lecture theatres. The building contains a café in the basement.[11] It has a student computer room on the 10th floor,[12] and a self-service language teaching centre on the second.[13]

## Refurbishment

[edit]

In December 2007, the university announced plans for a major refurbishment of the Arts Tower. The refurbishment saw a major re-organisation of the building's interior, as well as a new façade, and coincided with the move of the modern languages departments to the Jessop West building, on the former Jessop Hospital site. The building was vacated in April 2009, with refurbishment taking approximately two years to complete.[14] The work was finished in time for the beginning of the 2011–12 academic year; the building is still used for teaching, with the top nine floors allocated to the university's School of Architecture and Departments of Landscape.

## References and notes

[edit]

1. ^ Belshaw, Tony (6 February 2008), "Multi-million pound revamp for city landmark", The Star, archived from the original on 7 February 2008
2. ^ "World Architecture News". Retrieved 6 March 2021.
3. ^ "SHE F ELD". SHE F ELD. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
4. ^ "Topping Out Ceremony". Picture Sheffield. Retrieved 5 March 2021.
5. ^ a b c d e Mathers, Helen (2005). Steel City Scholars: The Centenary History of The University of Sheffield. James & James (Publishers) Ltd. pp. 191–3\. ISBN 1-904-022-01-4.
6. ^ Schneider, Tatjana (2008). This Building Should Have Some Sort of Distinctive Shape: The Story of the Arts Tower in Sheffield. University of Sheffield. ISBN 978-0-9556669-0-2.
7. ^ "PatList". Archived from the original on 13 February 2017. Retrieved 9 November 2007.
8. ^ Harman, R. & Minnis, J. (2004) Pevsner City Guides: Sheffield, pp82-84\. New Haven & London: Yale University Press. ISBN 0-300-10585-1
9. ^ Historic England (1993). "Library and Arts Tower, University of Sheffield (1247655)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 7 January 2006.(registration required)
10. ^ "Visitors | Library". The University of Sheffield. 4 September 2020. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
11. ^ "School of Architecture Course Handbook 2007 - 2008" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
12. ^ "Arts Tower - Room AT10.12 - Student Computer Rooms - IT Services". www.sheffield.ac.uk. The University of Sheffield. 10 February 2020. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
13. ^ "Facilities". Archived from the original on 26 June 2007. Retrieved 6 March 2021.
14. ^ "The Arts Tower". Archived from the original on 11 March 2012. Retrieved 6 March 2021.

Records

Preceded by

Leeds Town Hall
69 m (226 ft)

|  Tallest building in Yorkshire
1965 – 1973  | Succeeded by

West Riding House
80 m (260 ft)

Preceded by

Sheffield Town Hall
61 m (200 ft)

|  Tallest building in Sheffield
1965 – 2010  | Succeeded by

St Paul's Tower
101 m (331 ft)

* v
* t
* e

Listed buildings in Sheffield

Grade I|

* Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet Works
* St Mary, Ecclesfield
* St Nicholas, Bradfield
* Sheffield Cathedral
* Town Hall

Grade II*|

* Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet Housing
* Arts Tower and Library
* Beauchief Abbey
* Beauchief Hall
* Beehive Works
* Bishops' House
* Botanical Gardens Glasshouses
* Broom Hall
* Butchers Wheel
* City Hall
* Cornish Place
* Cutlers' Hall
* Darnall Works
* Ecclesfield Priory
* Endcliffe Hall
* Fair House Farmhouse
* General Cemetery
* Globe Works
* Green Lane Works Gateway
* Heritage House
* King Edward VII Upper School
* Leah's Yard
* Little Matlock Rolling Mill
* Loxley United Reformed Church
* Lyceum Theatre
* Manor Lodge Turret House
* Mappin Art Gallery
* The Mount
* Mount Pleasant
* Norton Hall
* Oakes Park
* Old Hall Farmhouse
* Old Queen's Head
* Onesacre Hall
* Paradise Square
* Park Hill Flats
* St James, Midhopestones
* St James, Norton
* St John, Ranmoor
* St Mary, Bramall Lane
* St Mary the Virgin, Beighton
* St Paul, Wordsworth Avenue
* Sharrow Mills
* Victoria Quays Terminal Warehouse
* War Memorial
* Well Meadow Street Crucible Furnace
* Whitley Hall Hotel
* Wicker Arches

Lists|

* City Centre
* S2
* S3
* S4
* S5
* S6
* S7
* S8
* S9
* S10
* S11
* S12
* S13
* S14
* S17
* S20
* S35
* Midhopestones
* Stocksbridge

* v
* t
* e

Buildings in Sheffield, England

Civic and institutional|

* Central Library
* City Hall
* Cutlers' Hall
* Jessop Hospital
* National Union of Mineworkers headquarters
* Northern General Hospital
* Old Town Hall
* Royal Hallamshire Hospital
* Royal Infirmary
* Shrewsbury Hospital
* Town Hall

Commercial|

* Canada House
* Castle Market
* Crystal Peaks
* Digital Campus
* Dyson House
* 2 Haymarket
* Hillsborough Barracks
* Meadowhall
* Orchard Square
* Sheaf House
* Telephone House
* Velocity Tower
* West.One

Educational|

* Alfred Denny Building
* Arts Tower
* Ella Armitage Building
* Drama Studio
* Firth Court
* Goodwin Sports Centre
* Hicks Building
* Information Commons
* Octagon Centre
* Owen Building
* Pennine Centre
* Sir Frederick Mappin Building
* University House
* Western Bank Library
* Jessop West

Industrial|

* Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet
* Beehive Works
* Brooklyn Works
* Butchers Wheel
* Cementation Furnace
* Cornish Place
* Globe Works
* Green Lane Works
* Leah's Yard
* Little Matlock Rolling Mill
* Moore Street electricity substation
* Sharrow Mills
* Shepherd Wheel
* Sydney Works
* Taylor's Eye Witness Works
* Well Meadow Street Crucible Furnace

Leisure and entertainment|

* Abbeydale Picture House
* Academy
* Birley Spa
* The Boardwalk
* Carbrook Hall
* Corporation
* Crucible Theatre
* Gatecrasher One
* Glossop Road Baths
* Kelham Island Museum
* The Leadmill
* Lyceum Theatre
* Millennium Gallery
* National Centre for Popular Music
* Old Queen's Head, Sheffield
* Odeon Sheffield
* Sheffield Arena
* Showroom Cinema
* Weston Park Museum
* Winter Gardens

Religious|

* Churches in Sheffield
* Madina Mosque
* Wilson Road Synagogue

Residential|

* Birley Old Hall
* Broom Hall
* Burrowlee House
* Carbrook Hall
* Code Sheffield
* Endcliffe Hall
* Fair House Farmhouse
* Fulwood Hall
* Hallam Towers
* Hallfield House
* Hancock & Lant Tower
* Hillsborough House
* Kings Tower
* Leader House
* Loxley House
* Manor Castle
* Mount Pleasant
* Mylnhurst
* Norton Hall
* Oakes Park
* Old Bank House
* Onesacre Hall
* Parkhead Hall
* Park Hill
* Queen's Tower
* Redvers House
* Regent Court
* Revell Grange
* Riverdale House
* St Pauls Tower
* Stumperlowe Cottage
* Stumperlowe Hall
* Sugworth Hall
* Tapton Hall
* The Towers
* Whiteley Wood Hall
* Whitley Hall

Sporting|

* Bramall Lane
* Don Valley Stadium
* English Institute of Sport
* Hillsborough Stadium
* IceSheffield
* Owlerton Stadium
* Ponds Forge
* Sandygate
* Ski Village

Transport|

* Bridgehouses station
* Crystal Peaks bus station
* Sheffield Interchange
* Meadowhall Interchange
* Hillsborough Interchange
* Darnall station
* Woodhouse station
* Dore & Totley
* Midland station
* Chapeltown station
* Victoria station
* Wicker station

Other structures|

* 192 Shoreham Street
* Cholera Monument
* Cobweb Bridge
* Lady's Bridge
* Park Square Bridge
* Tinsley Viaduct
* Totley Tunnel
* Wicker Arches

Lists of buildings|

* Brutalist apartment blocks
* Buildings and structures
* Listed buildings
* Tallest buildings and structures

* Demolished buildings are shown in italics

* v
* t
* e

University of Sheffield

People|

* Chancellor: Lady Justice Rafferty
* Vice-Chancellor: Koen Lamberts
* List of University of Sheffield people
* Academics
* Associates

Schools and
research|

* Arts and Humanities (Archaeology
* Centre for Research into Freemasonry and Fraternalism)
* Engineering (Software Engineering Observatory)
* Medical School
* Social Sciences (School of Architecture
* Information School
* Management School)
* CITY College

Buildings and
locations|

| Western
Bank|

* Western Bank Campus
* Alfred Denny Building
* Arts Tower (paternoster lift)
* Bartolomé House
* Drama Studio
* Firth Court
* Goodwin Sports Centre
* Hicks Building
* Information Commons
* Octagon Centre
* University House
* Western Bank Library

|

St George's|

* Ella Armitage Building
* Jessop West
* Kroto Innovation Centre
* Sir Frederick Mappin Building
* Somme Barracks
* St George's Church, Portobello
* St George's Quarter
* Turner Museum of Glass

Student life|

* Students' Union
* Sports (Association Football
* Hockey
* Rowing)
* Endcliffe Student Village
* Forge Press (formerly Sheffield Steel Press)
* Forge Radio
* Twikker

Affiliates|

| Medical|

* Charles Clifford Dental Hospital
* Jessop Hospital
* Northern General Hospital
* Royal Hallamshire Hospital
* Sheffield Children's Hospital
* Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
* Weston Park Hospital

|

Other|

* Russell Group
* Red brick university
* Association of Commonwealth Universities
* Association of MBAs
* EFMD Quality Improvement System
* European University Association
* Higher Futures
* N8 Research Partnership
* Northern Consortium
* Research Libraries UK
* Universities UK
* White Rose University Consortium
* White Rose College of the Arts & Humanities
* Worldwide Universities Network

Related|

* Applied Probability Trust
* Coat of arms
* General Architecture for Text Engineering
* Giant Days
* James Rossiter Hoyle Professor of Music
* Journal for the Study of the Old Testament
* Sheffield Academic Press
* Sheffield Inner Ring Road
* Sheffield school
* 2022-2023 University of Sheffield protests

* Category
* Commons

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