Goodbard House, another Leeds gem, originally occupied by JS Fry & Sons chocolate manufacturers, undergoes a design refresh

Rushbond’s passion is to enliven Leeds’ extraordinary heritage.  Our approach is about creating new histories whilst embracing the old ones.  Goodbard House, located near the train station on Infirmary Street, is a special gem and we have recently refurbished the main entrance, common areas and loos.

Built in the Edwardian baroque style, Goodbard House dates from 1905 and was altered in the 1920’s.  The building is thought to have been originally designed as a hotel and office complex with shops to the ground floor and Infirmary Street offices occupied by JS Fry and Sons, chocolate manufacturers as well as the entrance to Hotel de Ville.  The polished Peterhead granite wrapped around the ground floor façade reflects the prominence of this building rooted on one of the most significant streets in Leeds.

Rushbond commissioned artist Irini Stamatiadis, a recent graduate of Central Saint Martin’s School of Art, London and prize winner for 2019 Woon Foundation Prize for Sculpture and Painting, to create some bold, colourful works for the space to inspire curiosity.

Irini’s background and interest in sculpture comes across in these unique 2-dimensional works.  She focuses on the movement of the body and other objects in water to create a 3-dimensional illusion.  There is a fluid spontaneous element to the work that has transformed the interior of Goodbard House, a significant historic building in Leeds, the city which stands at the centre of a region defined by sculpture.  Following the Yorkshire Sculpture International Festival, Leeds is continuously reminded of its sculptural heritage as contemporary works from unique talented artists such as Irini pop up in unexpected places.

Irini successfully injects the space with nuances from contemporary life, all within a heritage context.