3.2 Urban Form and City Skyline

Introduction

This part of the Compendium offers strategic guidance on Sheffield’s built form.

The quality of a city’s built form is a key determinant of how the city will be used and experienced. It will shape a city’s image and can be used to create a sense of place and improve legibility in the urban environment.

As a starting point for the development of the guidance, a detailed analysis of the principal defining elements of the city’s built form was undertaken. This has included:

• Consideration of the quality of Sheffield’s architectural heritage and recent innovations;
  
• An assessment of Sheffield’s tall buildings in terms of their location and design, as well as an analysis of the city’s skyline;
  
• Identification of key landmarks and important views, both within the city centre and out to the surrounding hills and countryside;
  
• Mapping of important gateways for both vehicles and pedestrians.

Guidance and recommendations on each of these issues has been set out so that new development will respect and enhance the positive defining features of the city, and embrace opportunities for change where required. The aim of this guidance is to see Sheffield evolve with an interesting, innovative and dynamic built form that clearly reflects its status as a leading UK city.

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