Urban Splash collaborates with Kid Acne in Sheffield
A large-scale mural now graces the car park of the former Cole Brothers building, the grade two-listed Brutalist building being redeveloped in the city centre.
Designed by renowned Sheffield artist Kid Acne, the mural is funded by Friends of Sheffield City Centre, with backing from Urban Splash, which maintains a long-standing collaborative relationship with the artist.
Planning consultants Made it Together provided pro bono support, securing listed building consent for the project.
Plans were lodged for the conversion of the former department store in July.
If approved, the building will have leisure, entertainment, and retail space on the lower and ground floors, with the upper floors converted into offices.
The grade two-listed 1963 building will also have a rooftop terrace, making it accessible to the public for the first time.
Urban Splash won the bid to transform the landmark and former home of John Lewis in 2021, and has worked with architect AHMM and CBRE on the scheme.
The mural will remain in place as part of the activation of the site as redevelopment plans progress.
The campaign, spearheaded by local resident and FoSCC member Bridget Ingle, highlights the value of strategic stakeholder collaboration in urban regeneration.
Urban Splash has previously worked with Kid Acne at Park Hill, where his murals and 2019 exhibition helped re-establish the neighbourhood as a centre for creativity and design.
Sian Stanhope, development manager at Urban Splash, said: “Celebrating art and supporting artists has always been central to what we do – helping communities connect with regeneration in a more meaningful way.
“Sheffield has such a strong creative spirit, and it’s a privilege to be part of projects like this that reflect and build on that legacy.
“Coles has a long-standing connection to the arts. The building’s original architects, Yorke, Rosenberg, and Mardall, incorporated numerous pieces of artwork, and in this context, Ed’s mural aligns with the ethos of the original architects.
“Its text-based design also complements their modernist approach, reflecting influences from the Bauhaus movement.”
Kid Acne said: “I’m grateful to be invited to paint something on part of such an iconic building in the centre of Sheffield. I created a design I feel complements the unusual composition of the concrete elevation.”
