Rushbond Plc are in the process of commissioning creative responses to one of the most important historic buildings in their portfolio, the Grade I listed Corn Exchange, located in the historic Kirkgate area of central Leeds. We are inviting site-specific responses to a key space within the building, specifically the Entrance Lobby, through this commission to create a new light installation.

Leeds Corn Exchange

Artist’s Brief: Entrance Lobby Lighting Design

May 2018

Introduction

Rushbond Plc are in the process of commissioning creative responses to one of the most important historic buildings in their portfolio, the Grade I listed Corn Exchange, located in the historic Kirkgate area of central Leeds.

The Corn Exchange is known as a home of independent retailers, and as an important cultural platform for the city with an established tradition of hosting temporary events such as exhibitions, fashion shows, and fairs. The future of this unique venue depends upon its continuation as a destination where creative talent can be nurtured and showcased for diverse audiences, contributing to the richness of Leeds at a significant moment in its cultural history. This initial commission presents a unique opportunity to interact with the building’s history and future, and to showcase the city’s artistic talent.

We are inviting site-specific responses to a key space within the building, specifically the Entrance Lobby, through a commission to create a new light installation. This provides the primary entrance point for the majority of visitors to the Corn Exchange, facing the intersection of Call Lane and Cloth Hall Street. The commission aims to stimulate creative dialogue and a spirit of exchange between this historic site and contemporary stakeholders, including creatives, tenants and everyday users, and to animate spaces within the building to improve the visitor experience. We want to reconnect people who visit the Corn Exchange with the heritage of the building and this historic section of the city in a way that inspires, surprises and educates. The commission on offer will form part of a package of works, including improvements to visitor access through enhancement of the ramped secondary entrance to the lower ground floor, to be in place by Autumn 2018.

The Corn Exchange – Then and Now

The Corn Exchange (built in 1861-3) is one of several buildings in Leeds designed by Cuthbert Brodrick, including the Town Hall and City Mechanics’ Institute. It is a fine example of Victorian architecture and one of just three Corn Exchanges in the country that still function as a centre for trade. The building was given Grade I listed status in 1951. Leeds grew during the Industrial Revolution primarily through the production and sale of cotton, flax and wool. The Corn Exchange is located very near to the First White Cloth Hall, Leeds’ oldest commercial building, on Kirkgate, where textiles were once traded. Also nearby is Kirkgate Market, the largest covered market in Europe, which opened in 1822. The site lies within Leeds’ Central Conservation Area.

The Corn Exchange once functioned as a centre for trading corn, wheat, barley, hops, peas, beans, seeds, oil cake and flour. However, due to decline in the agricultural industry, the building deteriorated and eventually closed in 1985, prior to its relaunch as a retail destination and reopening in 1990. The building’s final corn sellers ceased trading in 1994. Under changing ownership through the 2000s, the building was refurbished and the lower ground floor opened up, initially housing a restaurant and specialist food outlets.

In 2017, Rushbond Plc, working with Seven Architecture, brought forward new proposals to reanimate the building and enhance its use for existing tenants (independent small businesses) and new generations of visitors. The proposals include repairs to the fabric of the building itself, improving accessibility and upgrading visitor amenities, and the introduction of a ‘Kitchen Yard’ at lower ground floor level, maintaining a focus on food and drink that links the present-day building with its history. The lower ground floor will be refurbished to include individual food outlets in the perimeter units and new central, communal seating. A new interior ramp will improve public access from the street directly to the lower ground floor.

The building refurbishment will also include repainting of shop front doors at ground and first floor level, new signage and way finding, and creative commissions including the one for the Entrance Lobby outlined in this brief. In addition, a poetry commission will animate the circular opening in the ground floor, and the new ramped access.

About Rushbond Plc

Rushbond Plc is a property development company founded in Leeds in 1986, and is led today by its founder and Managing Director, Jonathan Maud.

Rushbond aim to create unique spaces where design, quality and creativity are at the fore, by elevating key aspects such as community, culture and heritage and drawing these to the surface to enrich our experience of places both now and into the future. The company embeds creativity into its work in the built environment as a core tenet of its ethos, and has a track record of working with artists through projects such as Ian Randall’s Steeped Vessels(2006) at Brewery Wharf, and Tim Etchell’s neon artwork Where the Heart Is(2014), located on the Algernon Firth building. Both projects have made a major contribution to creating high quality art in the public realm in Leeds.

Leeds Corn Exchange - Entrance Lobby

The main entrance to the Corn Exchange, facing New Market Street and Call Lane, consists of an exterior Portico and interior Entrance Lobby. Although offering the primary route into the building, the Lobby has been under-utilised and is not currently an appealing or inviting space appropriate to the main entrance into such a unique and important architectural space.

We therefore wish to commission a new lighting feature for the Lobby, to replace all of the existing provision (ceiling light and wall-mounted up lighters) and to showcase it in a more inspiring and contemporary way. Proposals will need to work with the repainting of this space to create a dramatic new entrance way that exponentially improves the visitor experience. The commission is part of a new lighting scheme, other elements of which will reanimate the building’s exterior after dark. Some works designed to improve the look and feel of the Lobby, and to simplify it in order to refocus on the architecture itself, have already been agreed and will be carried out during the refurbishment programme. These include:

• Relocation of Lobby fixtures, fittings and signage, including information board, blue plaque and architectural awards

• Interior windows to be boarded over and painted

• All interior walls, ceiling and fixtures such as radiators, wherever possible, to be painted in ‘Atomic Red’ (see https://www.littlegreene.com/atomic-redfor reference)

• Removal of existing floor covering

• New lighting in the external Portico, adjacent to the Entrance Lobby

Please note that the fire panel on the right hand side of the Lobby immediately before the door into the main space cannot be moved – this will remain in situ and should be incorporated into design proposals.

We are looking for creative lighting responses which re-imagine and reanimate this space, transforming its potential as the main entrance way into a spectacular interior. We are seeking exciting ideas that make the experience of entering through the Lobby into the main atrium more appealing and inspiring. This may include new lighting for both the ceiling and walls, or a single installation that emanates from the existing ceiling fixture and utilizes the entire ceiling area and upper part of the walls. Proposals may also consider projection and sound as part of a light installation.

Our ambition is to launch the new commission on Light Night 2018, taking place this year across Thursday 4 and Friday 5 October. The new lighting will remain in place for at least one year and it is therefore essential that all proposals consider the works’ longevity and are suitably robust and low maintenance.

Budget

A commission budget of £2500 is available, which must include all materials, fixtures, and installation of the light fitting. Rushbond Plc will negotiate with the successful artist/designer regarding any specialist assistance required to install the new lighting, and will provide access in the form of a scaffolding tower to access the Lobby’s ceiling. Please make any such requirements clear in your submission. Payment will be made in installments, to be agreed with the successful applicant/s.

An additional artist/designer fee of £1500 is available. Payment will be made in installments, dependent upon mutually agreed milestones for realization of the commission.

Applicants may opt to alter the split of the overall project budget of £4000 if they wish, although this is the maximum available and must include all expenses (such as travel and subsistence), and VAT if applicable. The successful applicant/s will be responsible for their own tax and national insurance arrangements and Rushbond Plc cannot accept any liability in relation to these.

Eligibility, Process and Copyright

This commission is offered on an open submission basis, and all creatives at any stage of their career, including artists and designers working either individually or collectively, are eligible to apply. Those applying must however have their own public liability insurance and provide a copy of their insurance certificate before the commission is awarded.

Preference will be given to ideas that inspire while giving confidence that the proposed solution is both practical and durable, and can be executed on time and to budget. Consideration of the design notes throughout this brief is essential. A site visit is strongly recommended before submitting a proposal in order to appreciate the uniqueness of the Corn Exchange’s interior architecture.

Submissions must be made online through CuratorSpace. Please use CuratorSpace to make any enquiries or to request additional information on the commission. All those making submissions will be notified of the outcome of their application.

The selection panel will comprise Kerry Harker (Independent Curator), Georgina Maud (Creative Assistant, Rushbond Plc), and Guy Moulson (Associate, Seven Architects). 

Rushbond Plc reserve the right not to award the commission in the event that no viable proposals are made.

Rushbond Plc will retain ownership of the commissioned work, but copyright will remain with the artist/s. The selected artist/s agree to the use of their names and information about/images of the commissioned works in marketing and PR activity coinciding with the relaunch of the Corn Exchange.

Timescale

31 May CuratorSpace submission portal opens

Friday 29 June Deadline for submissions

Friday 13 July Notification to successful applicant/s

July/August Production period

September Installation

4-5 October 2018 (Light Night) Launch of lighting commission

Resources

Please refer to the separate photographs and architectural plan of the Entrance Lobby for further details.