The Majestic

The Majestic opened as a 2,400-seat super cinema in 1922 during the picture palace boom. Its Beaux-Arts-style exterior is clad in Marmo, a glazed terracotta made locally by the Leeds Fireclay Co at Burmantofts. It closed in 1969, after which the building was used as a bingo hall and later as a nightclub. The building was badly damaged in a fire in 2014, resulting in the loss of much of the original interior and entire roof. We used the building’s historical information as the departure point for the sensitive contemporary adaptation.

A redundant shell and fragments of the Beaux-Arts-style interior were all that remained of this historical building. The project presented a unique opportunity to evolve a new build intervention within the beautiful existing architectural faience and create a new chapter in the building’s history, transforming its use for a new generation of users.

The Majestic presented a unique opportunity to evolve a new build intervention within the beautiful existing fabric of architectural faience, prolonging the useful life by creating a new chapter in the building’s history and transforming how a new generation of users can experience it. From the outset the design approach sought to complement, rather than compete. Integral to this was the notion of re-interpretation – to pay homage to the building’s past whilst looking forward to its future.

The external aesthetic uses the existing building façade as a recognisable solid plinth from which a more delicate and diaphanous contemporary structure can emerge, designed to mediate between the Majestic and its neighbouring buildings. Reflecting the grandeur of the original interior, its elegance and style has been captured in various moments encountered throughout the new design.

A triple-height foyer creates a suitably dramatic arrival sequence. A modern interpretation of the cinema’s historic Proscenium Arch frames the office spaces beyond, paying subtle homage to the silver screen. The Palm Court, a five-story circular atrium crowned with a glazed dome, echoes the historical access arrangement of the original cinema and allows natural light to penetrate the core of the building.

The materials selected have durability and context in mind. The quality, texture, and finish needed to reflect its neighbours and add to City Square’s timeless quality while appealing to contemporary occupants.  

The anodized bronze fins, which lead out to a series of external terraces in a nod to a cinematic curtain opening, reflect adjacent buildings in colour and tone. We integrated public art into the scheme in homage to the original building, commissioning new statues as replacements for the lost and damaged originals.

The environmental upgrade of the building was a driving force. Energy efficiency and occupant comfort levels are comparable to best practice new builds, an outstanding achievement for a historic building with a retained listed façade and constrained footprint. 

We focused on areas of the design that were less constrained by the historic building. This involved incorporating highly efficient MEP systems, maximising the potential of new construction elements, and developing a high-performance façade*. In undertaking such a sensitive and comprehensive rejuvenation of this building, we have minimised its operational carbon for years to come.

The project offered an opportunity to create the latest layer in the building’s narrative. Channelling the building’s cinematic legacy, the Majestic now serves as the new home for Channel 4, strategically placing the Television network’s headquarters in the heart of the city. This transformation attests to the ambitious vision shared by the client, design team, and Leeds City Region.

Photography by Stevie Campbell