Old Schoolhouse in Bradshaw shortlisted for RIBA Award

The Old Schoolhouse in Bradshaw was remade into flats last year, which developers said restored its status as a local landmark.

Now nearly a year on it is one of 13 projects in the region to be shortlisted for the Royal Institute of British Architects North West Awards 2024. 

RIBA North West jury chair Katy Marks said: “This year’s shortlist reflects growing ambition to build a Northern Powerhouse.

“It’s also particularly heartening to see an investment in designing high-quality learning and healthcare environments, which deliver on social and economic benefits for future generations. 

The Old Schoolhouse has been remade into flats (Image: Nick Moss Architects)

“From the reinvention of a 200-year-old cotton mill into a residential community, to the sensitive retrofit of an iconic music hall which laid abandoned for years, these projects are underpinned by a desire to restore and celebrate the industrial.”

The building was used as a school up until 1966 but even years after its closure continued to be known as “the Schoolhouse.”

Since the site, found within the Bradshaw Chapel Conservation Area, has been used for various purposes including a previous site for Dave’s Aquarium and a Beefeater restaurant.

It was then abandoned before being bought by Panda Capital in 2017, which allowed the plans to convert it into housing to get in motion.

Now that the shortlist has been drawn up all Ms Marks, who is also a founder of Citizens Design Bureau, say s that a regional jury will visit each of the projects.

But the Old Schoolhouse’s recognition could still go further still after the regional awards.

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The winners will then be considered for awards including the RIBA Sustainability Award and RIBA Building of the Year.

They will then be considered for what the organisers say is a "highly coveted" RIBA National Award, which will be announced in summer.  

Nationwide, the shortlist for the RIBA Sterling Prize, deemed by the organisation to be the UK’s best new building, will be drawn from the RIBA National Award-winning projects.

The shortlist will be announced in September while the Sterling Prize winner itself will then be announced in October.

The projects that have been shortlisted are:  

·       Copperas Hill Student Life and Sports Building, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, by Sheppard Robson 

·       Crusader Works, Manchester, by shedkm and Capital&Centric 

·       Langdale, Brampton, Cumbria, by Mary Arnold-Forster Architects 

·       Leonardo Hotel, Manchester, by stephenson hamilton risley STUDIO 

·       Mustard Cowork at Little Underbank, Stockport, Greater Manchester, by Kelsall Architects 

·       New Century, Manchester, by Sheppard Robson 

·       Shakespeare North, Knowsley, Merseyside, by Helm Architecture and Austin-Smith: Lord 

·       The Alder Centre, Liverpool, Merseyside, by Allford Hall Monaghan Morris 

·       The Lincoln, Manchester, by Jon Matthews Architects 

·       The Manchester College, City Campus, Manchester by Bond Bryan and Simpson Haugh 

·       The Old School House Bradshaw, Bolton, by Nick Moss Architects 

·       The School of Science, Engineering and Environment (SEE), University of Salford, Manchester, by Sheppard Robson  

·       WaterSHED, Wardle Academy, Rochdale, Greater Manchester, by BDP