A few weeks ago we visited York and had the opportunity to see, first hand, the Davygate centre, an example that illustrates very well how successful integration of new and old architectures does not require ”pastiche” approaches.

Instead, this Panter Hudspith Architects’ intervention successfully delivers a response that reflects the present whilst enhancing the past.

York is one of those towns in the UK where its layers of history have been preserved for our enjoyment, despite the 70s . The Davygate centre is at its heart and provides three floors of retail space which present themselves to the historical context in such a considerate manner that it is difficult to appreciate the scale that lies behind the limestone cladded facade. It is not difficult to see why the scheme gained endorsement from English Heritage and the Royal Fine Arts Commission since from the soft curve of the facade, scale, relationship with the adjacent buildings and choice of materials it successfully embraces its context at every level. The architects were also involved in the design of the individual shopfronts in order to maintain the quality by ensuring a consistent treatment throughout.