Earlier this year property developers Hammerson invited our BA (Hons) Photography students to enter a competition to document the construction of an exciting addition to the vibrant shopping scene in Leeds, a new £150m retail centre, called Victoria Gate.
The five BA (Hons) Photography students that won the competition (pictured below) are:- Isabelle Biggs, Jack Greenwood, Florence Brewin, Oscar Henderson-Pennington, and Alex Bibby (the last four work together on the project under the name ‘Roundtable’). They all had to present their concepts and ideas ‘Dragons Den’ style to a judging panel consisting of Leeds city councillors, Hammerson, Turn Key Agency and Leeds College of Art colleagues.
The work will consist of videos and photography and different styles of concepts, such as creative or documentary of the building site from its inception to completion in October 2016.
As well as capturing the key construction milestones, the competition brief asked students to incorporate evidence of the impact that the development has on the day-to-day lives of the local community and the changes it brings to the city landscape so that it could be used as an archive resource for historians and stakeholders in the future.
They have all received cash prizes, access to the building site, a tour of a supplier’s factory, a visit to Hammerson HQ at Kings Place London, an opportunity to exhibit in London and an invitation to the opening launch. The centre will house the biggest John Lewis store outside London, together with 33 other outlets. The students have interacted with teams from the construction company McAlpine as well as the Hammerson organisation, pitched presentations, catalogued their work and improved their commercial and professional awareness. Their final portfolios will demonstrate exceptional images of a historic event.
