Roger Stevens voted best city building

University of Leeds landmark, Roger-Stevens, has been voted the city’s favourite building in the People’s Choice Award, part of the Leeds Architecture Awards 2025.

Roger Steven is found in the heart of the campus and is home to 25 lecture theatres.

The building is well known for its busy corridors, maze-like interior and constant stream of students, with students tending to have a “love it or hate” attitude towards the building.

Chosen by the public from a shortlist of 10 nominations, including other landmarks in Leeds like Victoria Gate and Bridgeware Place, Roger Stevens was top of the list. 

The University celebrated the news on its Facebook page writing, “Our very own concrete machine of glass slats, angles, pipes and towers is a rightful winner in our eyes.”

They highlighted its “unforgettable Brutalist quarter” designed by architects Chamberlin, Powell and Bon. Inspired by their work on the London’s Barbican Centre.

In previous research conducted by The Tab, a poll of 1,000 students showed that 26 per cent of the students said Roger Stevens was “pretty”, compared to 64 percent disagreeing.

Students at Leeds commented on the buildings award, saying

“I am surprised to hear that Roger Stevens has won best city building, but I guess it really is a unique building that stands out from other architecture around Leeds.”

Another student said, 

“It wouldn’t be my favourite building in Leeds however Roger Stevens gets a lot of bad rap, however I think it has been cleverly engineered and actually works quite well when you understand it.”

Martin Hamilton, from Leeds Civic Trust commented that the building had an “elegance and sculptural quality” to it, setting it apart from other buildings throughout the city. 

The University describes the building as a fusion of “1950s architectural design with contemporary infrastructure”.

Hamilton also mentioned that “The building is somewhere that if you know about it, you can’t fail to recognise it”. A statement that many students can relate to.

Roger Stevens is named after a British academic, diplomat and civil servant, as well as vice-chancellor of the University between 1963 and 1970.

The People’s Choice Award was introduced to mark the civic’s trust’s 60th anniversary and to celebrate “excellence in design” across the city.
More information on the architectural history can be found in the Universities archives