Paddington Central Amphitheatre shortlisted for a 2024 AJ Architecture Award

Gillespies is thrilled to announce that Paddington Central Amphitheatre – the transformative reimagining of Sheldon Square – has been shortlisted in the Landscape Architecture and Public Realm category at the prestigious 2024 Architects' Journal Architecture Awards.

Located at the heart of British Land’s 11-acre Paddington Central campus, the Amphitheatre breathes new life into the original Sheldon Square, designed by Sidell Gibson in the early 2000s. While paying homage to its architectural roots, the redevelopment introduces a contemporary vision that prioritises inclusivity, diversity, and the harmonious relationship between people and nature.

Key improvements include the replacement of the traditional curved seating with dynamic, greenery-adorned undulating concrete seating, significantly increasing seating capacity while enhancing the space for events. Other enhancements include wider terraces, DDA-compliant steps and access ramps, a cascading water feature, improved shop fronts by @feixandmerlin, a 50-metre-long permanent art installation by Adam Nathaniel Furman, improved lighting by Spiers Major, and biodiverse planting —all contributing to a rich, sensory experience in this once-underutilised urban space.

Six other Gillespies-designed projects have also been shortlisted in various categories. These include One Wood Crescent at Television Centre and The Forge in the Workplace project (£50 million and over) category, Sambrook’s Brewery at Ram Quarter in the Leisure category, 300 Harrow Road in both the Mixed-use (up to £75 million) and Housing project (£40 million and over) categories, Landmark Pinnacle for Housing project (£40 million and over), and Brent Cross West Station in the Infrastructure and Transport category.

The AJ Architecture Awards celebrate the finest in UK architecture across 16 categories, from education and housing to landscape and leisure. Each shortlisted project was personally visited by the judging panel and featured in The Architects' Journal.

We eagerly await the announcement of the winners at the awards ceremony on 3rd December at the Park Plaza Westminster Bridge in London!