23 piccadilly

Rendering of a new multi-story brick building with ground-floor commercial spaces, surrounded by pedestrians, cyclists, and cars, with trees and a church in the background under a clear sky.

A new purpose-built aparthotel in the York Central Historic Core Conservation Area, with public bar/lounge, and guest facilities including a gym and meeting room suite.

The proposal creates a new destination in York city centre run by the hotelier room2, replacing the existing Swinson House with a sensitively proportioned, high quality contemporary brick building referencing York’s vernacular architecture, and responding to the surrounding historic buildings of St Deny’s Church and Clifford’s Tower. The public realm along Piccadilly will be reworked to include planting and wider pavements, contributing to the changing Piccadilly Character Area, and the Castle Gateway Masterplan.

Team: Neil Brown, Rachael Barker, Lottie Ramsay

Similar projects: micklegate, 48 coney street, the tilt works, st paul’s street

  • Brown + company have been appointed to progress the scheme from planning and develop the original Dexter Moren Associates design to accommodate room2’s brand standards. The ground floor reception and bar animate the street along Piccadilly, creating a welcoming, lively space which interacts with the city, with guest rooms addressing the quieter roads towards St Deny’s Church and at the upper levels. The basement includes a meeting rooms suite, staff accommodation and back of house areas for the aparthotel, which have been developed in collaboration with all stakeholders.

  • Brown + company worked with the existing planning application to accommodate the requirements of Hotelier Room 2 and looked for opportunities to enhance and improve the building’s entrance and relationship to the public realm.

    A key consideration during this process was maintaining the original design’s sensitivity to its surroundings, including protecting key views from Clifford's Tower to St Deny’s church.

    Sustainability is a key driver of the scheme which is targeting BREEAM Excellent and net zero carbon in operation, and operator targets for embodied carbon. The building will be all electric, with air source heat pumps and photovoltaic panels.

  • The room arrangements and elevational treatments were adjusted to room 2 standards, and the building’s structure and servicing reviewed to ensure efficient use of materials and energy to contribute to Room 2’s net zero carbon targets.

    Key architectural changes include the adjustment of the ground floor to create an open reception, lounge and bar space, linking to meeting room suites below.