15 buildings are in the running, from a well-being centre in Skipton to a solar gateway in Hull

Alsop Fields, Sheffield, by Cartwright Pickard (phs: Tom Kahler)

Creating a gateway into Sheffield’s Cultural Industries Quarter, the brief for Alsop Fields was to repurpose a series of disused industrial buildings within a conservation area to include a student development with 162 study-bedrooms, plus commercial, retail and cafe units, creative office space and new public realm.

Avalon, Skipton, by Yiangou Architects (phs: Heidi Marfitt)

Avalon is a new ‘wellbeing centre’ at Broughton Hall, one of Yorkshire’s finest historic estates. It sits adjacent to a grade-one-listed mansion in parkland, and beside one of Hopkins Architects’ most perfect creations – the Utopia pavilion. The brief was to “raise the spirits” of those who enjoy the fabulous new facilities in such an historic setting.

The Cornyard, Sheffield, by Coda Studios (phs: Tom Kahler)

Located on a site that was once occupied by a corn mill, this unusual place – still dominated by a millpond – called for an exceptional building. Taking cues from the site’s industrial heritage it now provides two distinctive family homes.

Leeds Arts University, by DLA Design Group (phs: Simon Miles, Paul King)

This new building forms an integral part of the university’s aspirational vision for the future. Developed over a five-year period, the project delivers much-needed space to support the university’s expansion and ongoing mission to provide world-class facilities for students. From the outset the building has been designed so that the university’s ethos and values are engrained within its walls.

LVV (Laboratory for Verification and Validation), RTC (Royce Translational Centre) and iCAIR (Integrated Civil & Infrastructure Research Centre), Sheffield, by Bond Bryan Architects (phs: Phil Grayston)

The objective of these research centres is to bridge the gap between industry needs and academic research. Leading names in global manufacturing have been involved in their creation, supporting the Sheffield University-led research within and so helping to cultivate the next generation of engineers.

Mercia School, Sheffield, by Bond Bryan Architects (phs: Phil Grayston)

To meet increased demand for secondary school places, the local authority looked to transform a former landfill site into a modern teaching facility, serving a diverse community. The brief was to deliver a striking, high-quality secondary school, including a sixth form, that was integrated and respectful to the residential setting, and rooted in the site’s challenging topography.

Merrion House, Leeds, by BDP (phs: Nick Caville, Paul Karalius)

Since its completion in 1974 Merrion House has been home to Leeds City Council, which, desiring to accommodate its city centre team under one roof, saw the building as a key enabler. In addition to the significant refurbishment, creating a modern and uplifting working environment, the building incorporates the council’s new ‘one-stop’ facility.

Mount Grace Priory Cafe, Northallerton, by MawsonKerr (phs: Jill Tate)

This project is located within the grounds of English Heritage’s Mount Grace Priory, Northallerton, the best preserved Carthusian priory in England. The new-build cafe accommodates seating for 48 and forms part of a new visitor offer to engage with English Heritage members, hikers and cyclists exploring the National Park.

Scala Yard, York, by DLA Design Group (phs: DLA Design Group)

Four townhouses and one apartment are located in the rear yard and original service rooms, including the projection room, of the former Scala cinema in York. The design brief was to provide high-quality contemporary housing on the challenging site, set within York’s Core Conservation Area.

Site Gallery, Sheffield, by DRDH Architects (phs: David Grandorge)

Delivered on an extremely constrained budget, Site Gallery’s new facilities transform the organisation’s identity both internally and externally. A revised entrance sequence and a substantial new gallery space are housed behind a 36-metre-long brick facade.

Solar Gate, Hull, by Tonkin Liu (phs: Alex Peacock, Mike Tonkin)

Solar Gate’s success has paved the way for future buildings such as the Manchester Tower of Light and the Oval Court at the Lansdowne Club. Commemorating past, present and future, the timepiece marks the transformative moment in 2017 when Hull was UK City of Culture.

The Great Barn, Bolton Abbey Estate, by Pearce Bottomley Architects (phs: Thomas Robbins, Gillian Haves, Nigel Clarke)

The Great Barn is an outstanding building in a stunning national park setting, and now provides the flagship venue for a leading ‘wedding barn’ operator. The historic link between the Priory and the Great Barn has been restored, and members of the public can now access and appreciate the internal structure of the barn.

The Hollis Building, Sheffield, by Chiles Evans & Care Architects (phs: Dug Wilders)

The nineteenth-century Hollis Building connects Upper Chapel and Channing Hall, two significant historic grade-two-listed buildings in the Sheffield city centre Conservation Area.

The Weston, Wakefield, by Feilden Fowles Architects (phs: Mikael Olsson, Mike Dinsdale)

Overlooking the eighteenth-century landscape of Bretton Hall, The Weston is a new visitor centre and gallery that emerges from the site of a former millstone grit quarry within the Yorkshire Sculpture Park.

Velvet Mill, Lister Mills, Bradford, by David Morley Architects (phs: Joel Chester Fildes, Tim Smith)

Velvet Mill, the second phase in the development of Lister Mills, forms a major focus of regeneration by Urban Splash in conjunction with Bradford City Council and Yorkshire Forward. The apartments and community space in Manningham was intended to provide a desirable and vibrant place in which to live.