feilden clegg bradley weaves past and future into sheffield’s layered urban transformation

FCBStudios blends industrial heritage with low-carbon design

Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios (FCBStudios) has delivered a major redevelopment in central Sheffield, UK, titled Heart of the City. Commissioned by Sheffield City Council and delivered with strategic development partner Queensberry, the project forms part of a long-term urban regeneration initiative, introducing a multi-building, mixed-use neighbourhood on a historically significant site. The structure is anchored by three core buildings: Elshaw House, Cambridge Street Collective, and the restored Leah’s Yard.

Instead of adopting a singular large-scale intervention, the masterplan overlays new structures onto the existing urban grain. The design integrates retained listed facades, reopens blocked routes, and introduces new connections, including a pedestrian street or ‘ginnel,’ linking the north and south of the site. The circulation network is supported by a central grand stair and carefully considered public realm enhancements. The approach preserves elements of industrial heritage while creating conditions for commercial activity, cultural use, and employment. Once complete, the area is projected to support up to 7,000 new jobs.

all images courtesy of Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios (FCBStudios)

Heart of the City Preserves Heritage Through Adaptive Reuse

Cambridge Street Collective transforms a deteriorated city block into a multi-programmed food and events hub. It incorporates 200-year-old street frontages and the Grade II-listed Bethel Sunday School, now used as a venue for live performances and events. The building’s core program is Europe’s largest purpose-built food hall, supported by restaurants, a cookery school, and a rooftop bar. The material palette, corten cladding with black steel detailing, emphasizes a raw, adaptable aesthetic, enabling the space to transition between daytime and evening use. The block is intended to serve as a year-round public destination, supporting Sheffield’s cultural and hospitality economies.

Elshaw House, adjacent to the food hall, is a fully electric, Grade A office building delivering 70,000 sqft of high-performance workspace. Designed to meet high sustainability benchmarks, it holds a five-star NABERS UK energy rating and achieves 40% less embodied carbon than the national average. The building incorporates mixed-mode ventilation and smart building systems to reduce operational emissions. A south-facing rooftop terrace provides outdoor amenity, while the dark metal facade references Sheffield’s industrial legacy. The building also contributes to the active frontage of the masterplan through ground-level retail and cafés. Law firm DLA Piper has committed to occupying the top floors.

Leah’s Yard is a courtyard of 19th-century metalworking workshops, recently stabilised and adapted for contemporary maker use. Retaining its Grade II-listed status, the project accommodates over 20 studio units and small shops arranged around a central public courtyard. Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios’ team undertook Conservation work with a low-carbon approach, focusing on fabric retention and minimal intervention. The configuration supports independent retail and creative industries, allowing the structure to operate as both a production space and a public destination. It plays a central role in maintaining local identity within the overall development framework.

Heart of the City introduces a multi-building, mixed-use neighbourhood in central Sheffield

Redevelopment Integrates Heritage, Flexibility, and Sustainability

The Heart of the City development by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios (FCBStudios) addresses current and future urban conditions, including changing work patterns, decentralised retail, and cultural programming. Passive environmental strategies, embodied carbon retention, and the reuse of heritage structures are central to the project’s long-term sustainability. Rather than treating each building as an isolated object, the scheme operates as a cohesive urban system that supports spatial flexibility, social infrastructure, and economic resilience.

‘This is about building a place that’s distinctively Sheffield, not just in appearance, but in spirit,’ says the team at FCBStudios. ‘Heart of the City creates the conditions for a social, economic, and cultural renaissance.’

the redevelopment overlays new architecture onto Sheffield’s existing urban grain

retained listed facades anchor the project in Sheffield’s industrial heritage

public realm improvements integrate circulation, access, and outdoor gathering spaces

corten and black steel cladding reflect the site’s industrial material heritage

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Elshaw House provides 70,000 sqft of fully electric, high-performance office space

dark metal facades link Elshaw House to Sheffield’s industrial past

mixed-mode ventilation and smart systems minimise operational emissions

Heart of the City operates as a cohesive urban system shaped by sustainability and heritage

rooftop bars and a cookery school extend the program beyond traditional dining

Leah’s Yard retains 19th-century workshops, now adapted for maker studios

Leah’s Yard supports independent retail and Sheffield’s creative economy

over 20 independent studios and shops surround a shared public courtyard

project info:

name: Heart of the City
architects: Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios | @fcbstudios, Lathams | @lathamsltd

location: Sheffield, UK

Cambridge Street Collective, Bethal Chapel & Elshaw House: Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios

Leah’s Yard: Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, Lathams

masterplan architect: Leonard Architecture Design

client: Sheffield City Council