It's a work of art! New college building in Leeds aims to win top marks

Work has now started on a new five-storey development in the car park of the college’s existing Blenheim Walk premises in Woodhouse.

Due for completion in summer next year, the 6,000 sq m building will be home to high-quality art, design and performance facilities.

They will allow the college to take on more students and run additional courses as it bids to become the only specialist arts university in the north of England.

Leeds College of Art principal Prof Simone Wonnacott said: “This year promises to be just as exciting for the college as our 170th anniversary last year.

“As we move forward with our purpose-built expansion, and add new courses to our portfolio, we will attract more students to the city offering them a greater diverse mix of creative courses.

“Our new build project coincides with our application to become a university, which will see the college becoming the only specialist arts university in the north of England, which we hope to make an announcement about later in the year.”

Supported financially by HSBC, the development will boast a 230-seat auditorium as well as music, film and photography studios, public exhibition gallery, roof garden and enterprise centre.

New courses in the pipeline ready for 2018 include BA (Hons) Filmmaking and BMus (Hons) Popular Music Performance.

Plans for the building were drawn up by architects DLA Design while the project is being delivered by construction contractor ISG.