Conserving Bradford’s Listed Buildings - Sunwin House
In 2022 we were approached by a local businessman in Bradford who owned a textile business, they had a large portfolio of buildings across Yorkshire one of which was Sunwin House, Godwin Street, Bradford. Once a department store I recall visiting one Christmas evening when I was a child coming away with a load of toys including a Thundercats sword. The sword was cherished unfortunately broke after playing with it too many times. Fast forward to the future the owners leased each floor of the building to individual tenants. Our client wanted to convert the ground in to a children’s indoor play facility that included Virtual Reality gaming and indoor golf. The concept was totally unique and virtually unheard of. Plans were drawn and submitted. After many months of convincing the planners permission was granted. The plans coincided with the announcement of Bradfords successful bid to be Capital of Culture. The intention is to take advantage of Bradford’s young growing population that require access to safe and secure facilities like this.
The building itself designed by WA Johnson of CWS for the City of Bradford Co operative Society in 1936, the store was built in the International Modernist style and heavily influenced by the German architect Erich Mendelsohn. Similar to the Alea Casino Building, Nottingham with curved horizontal glazed stairwells lit magically.
As a Bradfordian being brought up in the City I have come to understand the importance the buildings played in shaping the City. The importance of Bradford during the industrial revolution and how it grew to become the wool capital of the world. Goitside is named after a medieval goit which redirected Bradford Beck to power the early watermills in the area. It's considered the cradle of industry in the city, where the first mills, foundries and factories were built.
I feel it does have a unique sense about it unlike any other industrial cities in the North of England. Overlayed with the influx of Asians in the 70’s and 80’s I feel these buildings can be reused in someway to really celebrate the cultural mix of what makes Bradford.
