Roger Stevens Building voted Leeds favourite building of the past 60 years

The Roger Stevens Building at the University of Leeds has been voted the city’s favourite building of the past six decades at the Leeds Architecture Awards 2025, earning the coveted People’s Choice Award. Chosen through a public vote from a shortlist representing some of Leeds’ most recognisable structures, the win reflects the deep civic affection for a building that has shaped generations of students and the architectural identity of the University’s campus.

For CPW, the award carries particular significance. Our Leeds team has supported the University of Leeds across a wide range of projects over the years – from the Clothworkers Buildings refurbishments and the Laidlaw Library to Leeds Mathematics School, the Marjorie and Arnold Ziff Building, and the Faculty of Biological Sciences, among many others. Alongside this wider portfolio, we have also delivered several refurbishment and upgrade projects for the Roger Stevens Building itself. As it continues to evolve, we are proud to be part of its next chapter, one that both honours its heritage and prepares it for a low-carbon future.

A Brutalist Beacon at the Heart of Campus

Completed in the early 1970s and designed by Chamberlin, Powell and Bon, the same practice behind London’s Barbican, the Roger Stevens Building holds a unique place in Leeds’ architectural story. Its sculptural concrete forms, dramatic terraces, and carefully choreographed internal routes have made it one of the most instantly recognisable structures on campus.

Alongside the Edward Boyle Library and the elevated Red Route, the building forms part of the mid-century masterplan that sought to redefine the campus through bold forms and modern ideas about learning, movement, and public space. Although the wider vision was never fully realised, the buildings that emerged have become some of the University’s most enduring landmarks – Roger Stevens chief among them.

Loved and debated in equal measure, the building has become an icon not only for its distinctive aesthetic but also for the memories it holds. Tens of thousands of students have navigated its tiered lecture theatres, spiralling stairs, and crisp geometry over the last five decades, making it a backdrop to academic journeys spanning generations.

Our involvement with the Roger Stevens Building extends across multiple phases of its life. CPW has supported various refurbishment projects over the years, each one shaped by a commitment to maintaining the integrity of the original architecture while ensuring the building meets the expectations of a modern university.

We are currently working alongside Associated Architects, Civic Engineers and wider project partners to deliver substantial upgrades that will improve both the user experience and long-term sustainability of the building.

Our scope includes:

• New electrical infrastructure, including enhanced LED and external feature lighting that elevates safety, accessibility, and visual appeal.

• Upgrading the ventilation, heating, and cooling plant across three of the largest lecture theatres – introducing low-carbon, energy-efficient solutions that significantly reduce operational carbon.

• TM54 energy modelling, ensuring the building’s real-world performance aligns with sustainability targets and informing future retrofit decisions.

• Development of a long-term net zero strategy, mapping out practical and impactful pathways to fully decarbonise the building in the coming years.

These improvements are carefully planned to respect the building’s technical complexity – from its dense network of lecture theatres and circulation routes to the challenges posed by retrofitting within a listed Brutalist structure.

CPW’s relationship with the University of Leeds is long-standing, built through years of shared goals across teaching, research, and heritage-led refurbishment. The Roger Stevens Building is just one example of the trust placed in our teams to deliver engineering solutions that support the University’s vision for accessible and future-ready learning environments.

Our collaboration with Associated Architects and other project partners further strengthens this continuity. Collectively, we aim to futureproof one of the University’s most treasured buildings while ensuring it remains a welcoming and low-carbon asset for decades to come.

Why This Award Matters

Being named Leeds’ favourite building of the last 60 years is more than a celebration of its striking architectural design – it reflects the emotional and cultural resonance the Roger Stevens Building holds across the city. Public recognition for a building often associated with academic memories, and a distinctive era of design, underlines its role as a landmark rooted in the very fabric of university life. It also highlights the importance of sensitive, sustainable investment in heritage buildings, ensuring they continue to serve their communities long into the future.

For CPW, the award reinforces the value of ongoing investment in existing estates. Thoughtful engineering interventions can breathe new life into complex, ageing structures while preserving their historical and architectural significance. This is especially vital in the context of the University of Leeds’ broader sustainability ambitions, where careful, phased retrofit strategies help reduce carbon emissions without compromising heritage.

Based at our Leeds Office and having worked on many projects for the university, our Director and Northern Lead, Gareth Moad, brings with him a lifelong Northern pride. Having called the region home for most of his life, he shares:

“The University of Leeds is the heart of the city. Its historic campus hasn’t only helped shape the skyline, but countless memories for locals (myself included), alumni alike, and visitors. As one of the UK’s largest and most respected universities, it plays a huge role in the region’s growth, drawing tens of thousands of students to Leeds every year and contributing massively to the local economy and the city’s culture.

“We’ve worked on – and continue to work on – a wide range of projects for the University, supporting the faculty as it looks to the future. Our role is to help ensure the campus evolves with the changing times, protects its heritage buildings, and delivers sustainable, innovative environments that truly enhance the student experience.

“For me, the University represents what Leeds is all about: a place where people learn, grow, challenge ideas, and push boundaries. It’s where the next generation of thinkers, leaders, engineers, and creators are shaping their future. Leeds is a city I’m incredibly passionate about, and we’re very proud to contribute to its ongoing story.”

The work underway today on the Roger Stevens Building, forms part of its next chapter and part of the wider decarbonisation journey across the University’s estate.

The People’s Choice Award win is a celebration, not only of design – but of identity, collective memory, and the importance of protecting places that define the character of our towns and cities. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with the University of Leeds and contributing to the evolution of this remarkable building for years to come.

Want to discuss your next project in the North? Get in touch with Gareth Moad and the CPW Northern Team today.