The Centre for Excellence for Heritage Craft Skills and Estate Management is a landmark project within the precinct of York Minster, providing a permanent base for the training, development and celebration of traditional craft skills. The project has been recognised with both the Lord Mayor’s Award and the YorkMix People’s Choice Award at this year’s York Design Awards.

We collaborated closely with the design team and The Chapter of York to deliver two new buildings that are contemporary in form, low in embodied carbon, and highly sensitive to their historic and archaeological context.

Designed by Tonkin Liu, the project combines traditional masonry with modern digital fabrication in a purpose-built environment. The structures are formed in timber and shaped through iterative development to optimise light, ventilation and structural efficiency. Their distinctive roof geometries use straight timber members to create curved, organic forms that express the buildings’ craft-focused purpose.

Beneath the surface, the site presented complex challenges. With Roman archaeology located just two metres below ground, both buildings required carefully considered foundation solutions. Shallow raft slabs were used to protect the archaeology while supporting the varying loads of workshops, machinery and teaching spaces above.

It has been a privilege to help deliver such a thoughtful and sustainable addition to the heritage site, one that celebrates both traditional craft and modern techniques. We’re especially proud that the project has been recognised not just by the judges but also by the people of York. Creating something that resonates with the local community, in such a historic and meaningful setting, makes this achievement all the more rewarding.