SHEFFIELD AMPITHEATRE

Client: G F Tomlinson

Construction of a tiered seating area from large stone copings anchored on top of dry stone walling.

In 2005, Sheffield City Council spoke to local residents about their vision to create a series of quality open spaces in the city centre stretching from Park Square to Norfolk Place which was to be called Sheaf Valley Park. The residents suggested that the land adjacent to the train station was turned into a communal area with seating that could act as a venue for outdoor events.

This idea is what you now see as Sheffield Amphitheatre when arriving into the city from the train station. We were appointed with creating several tiered and curved stone seating areas on a sloped area which incorporated landscaping. The tiers were built using traditional dry stone walling with copings placed on top to form seating. The clients concerns regarding the copings being stolen or dislodged and causing injury to the public were eradicated by core drilling holes into each coping and inserting a metal dowel fastened with epoxy resin. They were then concreted into the dry stone wall.

The result is a stunning public space that has helped to put Sheffield on the map as a cultural hub.