Original Crittall windows have been replaced and upgraded on the main street frontage of one of Leeds’ most historic quarters. Briggate is a pedestrianised principal shopping street in the city centre containing many historic buildings including, tucked away from view in Lamberts Yard, the only remaining Elizabethan timber framed property in the City dating back to circa 1600.
The walkway leading to that heritage enclave passes through No. 162 Briggate, a 1950’s vintage commercial and residential block where Think Architecture has installed replacement Crittall steel windows.
“No.162 had original Crittalls and, as with all the buildings around Lamberts Yard, things were in various appalling states,” said Simon Smithson, director of Pudsey, West Yorkshire-based, Think Architecture.
The original single glazed windows in the three-storey no.162 were replaced with double glazed lookalike Homelight windows. The building now houses new apartments and a ground-floor commercial premises.
“I have to say,” added Mr Smithson, “ that the Crittall windows are a wonderful system. Several years ago we did a job and used what was described as a ‘Crittall-like’ system. Well, that was very disappointing whereas the Crittall system is a great system, so well made.”
