Projects

Located in the industrial area of Holbeck in Leeds, Ironworks presented itself with the challenge of working with a Grade II Listed building, separated by an access road.

Nook designed a single building inspired by traditional mill architecture, uniting the two plots with modern design whilst respecting the historic context.

The development includes townhouses and apartments. Two Corten chimneys, house the lift cores and mark the buildings industrial past. A private courtyard garden offers a tranquil space for residents and the underground parking maximises space and maintains the sites aesthetics.

The project also features commercial spaces, adding local vibrancy and commercial potential.

Client: Bankhead Group

Location: Barrowby, Harrogate

Sector: Residential

Status: Planning

Situated in the picturesque hamlet of Barrowby, North Yorkshire, Nook Architecture and Design were approached to develop proposals for a bespoke family dwelling on the site of a former agricultural shed.

The design draws inspiration from the principles of rural vernacular architecture, featuring a traditional farmstead layout comprised of three interconnected structures of varying scales, thoughtfully arranged around a central courtyard. This approach results in a broken massing that integrates seamlessly with the existing agricultural environment.

The selected material palette has been curated to compliment the rural context. At ground floor, locally sourced coursed stone serves as the primary walling material, while sustainably sourced timber cladding is employed for the first-floor cladding. Additionally, smaller contemporary elements are finished with black profile metal cladding, a material frequently utilised in the construction of agricultural buildings.

Client: CUB Nursery

Location: Headingley, Leeds

Sector: Commercial

Status: Built

A calm, efficient space designed for curiosity and care. The project focused on creating interiors that feel soft, safe and natural, shaped by light, material and proportion.

Working within a heritage building, the design balances warmth with function, using muted tones and tactile finishes to form spaces that support both children and staff.

From joinery to layout, every detail was considered to make the environment practical, adaptable and quietly beautiful.

Projects like this remind us how design can improve every day, even for the smallest people.

Devonshire House is a stunning Grade II listed building located on York Place in the heart of Leeds’ financial district. Originally constructed as woollen warehouses in the late 1800s by the renowned architect George Corson, the Nook team was tasked with transforming this Victorian Gothic Revival masterpiece from outdated office spaces into high-quality residential apartments for the rental market.

Working alongside the local authority conservation team, Nook successfully delivered a project that respects the building’s historical significance while addressing modern living needs. The renovation beautifully marries old-world charm with contemporary functionality, resulting in a vibrant residential space that enhances Leeds city centre and offers both community and comfort to its residents.

One of the standout features of the renovation is the contemporary rooftop addition, which includes a communal south-facing terrace with unobstructed views of the Leeds city centre. The interior design emphasizes simplicity, durability, and beauty, making it ideal for the rental market. By eliminating internal corridors, the design maximizes efficiency, resulting in open-plan, light-filled apartments that cater to modern living preferences.

Providing 19 luxury one and two bed apartments in addition to residents’ amenities including a basement gym, the project was successfully managed from inception through to final delivery in 2023 by the Nook team.

Client: Bankhead Group

Location: Otley

Sector: Residential

Status: Planning

Burras Drive was developed as part of a comprehensive planning application submitted on behalf of the Bankhead Group. Located on a former paddock in the West Yorkshire town of Otley, the brief was to design a bespoke four-bedroom dwelling that respectfully acknowledges the distinct local architectural style while integrating contemporary features.

Employing long-format bricks, careful detailing, and thoughtful proportions, Nook crafted a building form that is both simple and elegant, aligning seamlessly with the local context. 

The internal layout was conceived with modern family living in focus. Prioritising functionality, the layout is organised around a central circulation core, with key living spaces thoughtfully positioned on either side. The layout also considers the importance of views, ensuring that all principal living areas enjoy dual-aspect vistas of the surrounding countryside. Furthermore, the transitions through the dwelling are designed to create a meaningful connection between the interior and exterior living spaces.

Springwell Gardens is a mixed-use development located on the edge of Leeds city center. This distinctive gateway site required an equally distinctive design; the scale and dramatic architecture reflect its importance while ensuring a seamless transition between the growing height of Whitehall Road and the existing scale of Springwell Road.

The building features a unique sail-like form, with a series of stepped, south-facing roof terraces that create a striking transition in scale from 5 to 16 stories. The development boasts high amenity levels, including a beautifully landscaped podium that provides both private and communal spaces while effectively concealing the residents’ car park below.

The project includes 226 one, two, and three-bedroom apartments, along with commercial space at ground level. It was successfully managed through the planning process and delivered on-site by the members of the Nook team.

Client: Countrylarge

Location: Kirkstall Road, Leeds

Sector: Residential

Status: Planning

 Aire Place Mills is a former mill complex located off Kirkstall Road at the edge of Leeds city centre. The proposed high-density residential development aims to provide 100 much-needed two, three, and four-bedroom family homes for the build-to-rent market. Plans also include residents’ amenities such as a gym, shared workspaces, and public open spaces, which feature a riverside park. 

The proposals have been designed to complement the existing local character of the area while also drawing inspiration from the site’s industrial heritage. Two distinct character types inform the design of the various house types across the site. Along the perimeter of the site on Washington Street and Kirkstall Road, the proposed dwellings are larger, at four stories, and are designed to resemble townhouses with strong, ordered facades. In contrast, the houses in the centre of the site are more domestic in scale, at two and three stories, and take inspiration from mews-style housing while also referencing traditional terraced housing.

In collaboration with landscape architects, the proposed site layout has been developed to prioritise pedestrian movements throughout the site. As a result, vehicular access is restricted to a single route, and frontage parking has been eliminated. Instead, all parking provision is located below a landscaped podium deck, keeping vehicles hidden from view and enhancing the public realm.

Nook Architecture and Design has worked closely with the client and the broader design team, developing the proposals from the initial concept stages through to the planning submission in early 2025.

Canal Mills, located on the Leeds-Liverpool Canal in Armley, dates back to the 19th century and was once part of the local textile industry until its closure in the mid-20th century. The proposed residential development aims to provide much-needed two, three, and four-bedroom housing on the outskirts of Leeds city centre. The plans also include the refurbishment of an existing Grade II listed building, which will be utilised for resident amenities, including cycle storage.

This high-density development, consisting of 102 dwellings, required a unique design approach. Consequently, the proposed homes are designed as a contemporary interpretation of traditional Victorian terraced houses, a character of the local area.

The development features a variety of bespoke house types ranging from two to four stories. A row of smaller, red-brick, two-story pitched-roof houses lines the main road through the site, resembling traditional workers’ cottages. In contrast, the remaining homes present a more contemporary appearance, standing three to four stories tall, with flat roofs that offer access to private roof terraces with views overlooking the Leeds-Liverpool canal.

Nook Architecture and Design, working along with the client and the wider design team, developed these proposals from the initial concept stages through to final planning approval, which was granted in 2024.

Palmers represents a proposed commercial development situated within the greenbelt between Calverley and Pudsey. The client, Palmers, has successfully operated a nursery and landscape business on this site since 1995. In pursuit of enhancing the customer experience and exploring new opportunities for diversification, the client engaged our services to develop a new strategy for the site. Through close collaboration with Palmers, we established a strategic plan to create a new garden centre building, along with a comprehensive redevelopment of the existing facilities.

The envisioned bespoke garden centre building will feature indoor retail spaces, a café, and office areas designated for the landscape business. Importantly, the design of the proposed building is intended to reflect the rural and agricultural context of the location through its form and material selection. A central glazed greenhouse with dual-pitched roofs is proposed as a prominent indoor retail space, drawing inspiration from the existing polytunnels situated throughout the site. The material palette will incorporate charred timber cladding, dry stone wall plinths, and natural slate roofs, thereby reinforcing a sophisticated agricultural aesthetic.

The broader site strategy includes the development of new parking facilities, a children’s play area, outdoor retail spaces, and an enhanced site entrance. By collaborating with the extended design team, we successfully secured planning approval for this scheme in 2021.

Client: The Hepworth Gallery

Location: Wakefield

Sector: Commercial

Status: Invited Competition

Named in honor of Barbara Hepworth, Barbara’s Workshop was conceived as part of an invited competition hosted by the esteemed Hepworth Gallery in Wakefield. Situated adjacent to the art gallery designed by David Chipperfield, the project called for the creation of a garden workshop to complement the recently completed public gardens, designed by the award-winning landscape architect Tom Stuart-Smith.

The primary objective was to establish a multifunctional garden store with a focus on flexibility, addressing a variety of requirements outlined in the brief while adhering to a constrained budget. The design features a simple rectangular form, angled to frame views of the Chantry Chapel of St. Mary. This approach ensures the building remains both elegant and modest, thereby minimizing any potential distraction from the neighbouring gallery and public gardens.

The skewed design results in a distinctive roof form which is complemented by bespoke galvanized steel rainwater goods including storage troughs at ground level for rainwater harvesting to benefit the public gardens. The selected material palette reflects a commitment to environmental sustainability, incorporating a timber frame constructed from sustainably sourced forests and insulated with hemp. Additionally, green fibre cement board has been chosen for the primary cladding material due to its durability and robust characteristics.

Latitude Purple was a PRS (Private Rental Sector) scheme originally developed for BAM Properties. It is located on the site of the former Doncaster Monkbridge Iron and Steelworks. The proposals included two residential blocks, standing 21 and 17 stories tall, which are separated by a central podium deck featuring undercroft parking below. Members of the Nook team were involved in the project from its inception through to the planning approval, which was granted in 2018. The site was subsequently sold and developed by other parties.

Due to the site’s constrained nature, the design was developed to prioritise efficiency and as a result the proposals were able to provide a total of 463 one, two, and three-bedroom apartments, along with resident amenities such as roof terraces, a gym, coworking spaces, and a bowling alley.

Grove Lane is a proposed residential development located on the edge of the Woodhouse Ridge green corridor. Proposals provide 58 retirement apartments, offering one, two, and three-bedroom options all designed to Lifetime Homes standards, exclusively for residents aged 55 and older.

To retain existing views to and from the Woodhouse Ridge green corridor the proposal is designed to utilise the natural contours of the site to embed the building within the landscape. The building form is also split into two smaller blocks interconnected via a single storey glazed link which importantly allowed views to be retained through the two buildings.

The contemporary brick building includes elegant, understated detailing with a strong emphasis placed on carefully considered proportions and simple forms. Whilst a striking a bronze cladding adorns the upper storey providing visual interest and helping to reduce the visual mass of the building.

Client: Undisclosed

Location: Menston, West Yorkshire

Sector: Residential

Status: Planning

Located on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales in the village of Menston, Westbourne Drive is a large, detached dwelling designed for a private client.

This distinctive site offers expansive views of the surrounding countryside, while the challenging steep slope of the plot necessitated an innovative design approach. By leveraging the natural contours of the land, the proposal integrates the house into the landscape, with the ground floor partially submerged. A centrally located triple-height void space allows for an abundance of natural light to permeate the home, enhancing the overall sense of openness and connection to the outdoors.

Key living spaces have been thoughtfully positioned to provide panoramic views across the countryside. The master bedroom features an inset balcony set within a feature gable design. The use of locally sourced traditional materials, such as sandstone, harmonises with the local context, while contemporary elements, including long-format buff and black bricks complemented by timber cladding, provide a modern aesthetic