Hallam Union

Andrew Anderson
Illustration of Hallam Union with blue lines and a pink sky

Is it a set of kettles? Is it four fat irons? Otherwise known as The Hubs, Sheffield’s Hallam Union has long been a source of controversy.

If a building’s success is measured in the number of nicknames it’s been given, then Sheffield’s the Hubs is one of architecture’s most amazing achievements. Depending on who you ask, it’s either the kettles, the drums or the curling stones – along with a few other, cruder designations besides. Of course this isn’t really how designs are rated, and life has in fact been rather hard for a building that has already been a museum, a bar and boarded up in its short lifespan. Happily though, it has now found its function as the Hallam University Student Union, becoming a distinctive and well-liked part of Sheffield’s cityscape.

The range of names for the Hubs probably derives from its strange shape, with its familiar yet foreign feel. The design creates a sort of object déjà-vu: you know it reminds you of something, but you’re not quite sure what. Hallam Union is made up of four shimmering orbs of Sheffield steel, each topped with what could either be a handle, or a spout, depending on your viewpoint. The whole thing is linked together by a central glass atrium. When kept clean – the exterior has a tendency to discolour – it makes for a striking and original design, although it’s somewhat smaller inside than its large footprint might suggest.

Depending on who you ask, it’s either the kettles, the drums or the curling stones

Not everyone is enamoured with its looks though: Hallam Union was voted the world’s ugliest building by a 2011 poll, a rather unfair choice given that there are concrete monstrosities on the same street that are far less attractive, let alone in the wider city – or the world beyond. Designed by Nigel Coates Architects, the Hubs were rather divisive when they opened in 2001. Despite being clad in Sheffield steel, the building was seen as an out-of-place piece of modernity, akin to the egg box-like Town Hall extension that was, incidentally, torn down a year after the Hubs were completed. The Hubs did, however, have an advantage over the Town Hall in that it was made to house the National Centre for Popular Music – a far more exciting purpose than simply being a box for bureaucrats.

The museum made up a key part of Sheffield’s re-branding as the country’s music capital, an idea intended to inject further life into an economy still suffering from the job losses of the 80s and early 90s. However, while the city has a great music heritage – from the Human League to Pulp and the Arctic Monkeys – calling yourself something doesn’t make it so. The predicted 350,000 visitors a year never materialised and the National Centre for Popular Music closed within 18 months of opening. Some attempts were made to rekindle the idea, with additional millions invested, but nothing came of it.

For a short while the Hubs was used as a music venue under the BarFly brand, but its proximity to the already successful Leadmill meant it was working in a saturated market. Finally, in 2004, Sheffield Hallam bought the building, and it reopened shortly after as the new student union. Like a pair of ill-fitting wellington boots that actually make a rather nice flower pot, the Hubs has worked far better since it was repurposed.

Where once visitors complained it was too small to justify ticket price, now its size makes it cosy, atmospheric and convenient. Where once its off-centre location meant it went unnoticed, it now seems to have hunkered down amongst the many student flats that have begun to dominate this part of town. Where once the exterior made it look like a 1970s public convenience, now it fits in with other steel structures that have popped up around the city, such as the wall-fountain at Sheffield Station. This is truly a tale of a building being born again – although, unlike a Christian rebirth, more rather than less alcohol is now involved in its daily life.

The HUBS, Paternoster RowSheffieldS1 2QQ View map
Telephone: 0114 225 4111 Visit Now

Opening Hours

  • Monday8:00am - 11:00pm
  • Tuesday8:00am - 11:00pm
  • Wednesday8:00am - 11:00pm
  • Thursday8:00am - 11:00pm
  • Friday12:00pm - 12:00am
  • Saturday12:00pm - 12:00am

Always double check opening hours with the venue before making a special visit.

What's on near Hallam Union

Close up image of peach, pink and lilac flowers with the words 'False Note' in a white block font.
Until
ExhibitionsCity Centre
False Note at Site Gallery

Site Gallery welcomes Freya Dooley’s solo show ‘False Note’, which examines the musical and idiomatic meanings of the term.

free entry

Where to go near Hallam Union

Showroom Workstation
City Centre
Cinema
Showroom Workstation

Sheffield’s premier arts centre houses an established independent cinema along with an entrepreneurial hub for creative and digital industries.

Site Gallery, Sheffield
City Centre
Gallery
Site Gallery Sheffield

Specialising in moving image, new media and performance, and offering a busy events programme, a visit to Site in Sheffield is not to be missed.

The Rutland Arms pub in Sheffield
City Centre
Bar or Pub
Rutland Arms

A great pub situated in an early 20th century brick and bright yellow building on the corner of Furnival Street and Brown Street.

City Centre
Music venue
The Leadmill

Situated in a former flour mill to the south east of the city centre, The Leadmill is Sheffield’s longest running music venue.

Street Food Chef
City Centre
Restaurant
Street Food Chef

An award-winning Mexican cantina serving speedy and fiercely tasty food – a healthy fast food alternative for the people of Sheffield.

The Sheffield Tap
City Centre
Bar or Pub
The Sheffield Tap

With a wide range of craft beers and its very own on-site microbrewery, Sheffield Tap is uniquely housed within a restored railway station.

Tamper Sellers Wheel, Sheffield
City Centre
Café or Coffee Shop
Tamper Sellers Wheel

Excellent coffee, including its own blend, and hearty, relaxed food make this one of Sheffield’s best casual eateries.

Graves Gallery
City Centre
Gallery
Graves Gallery

Graves Gallery is home to Sheffield’s visual art collection, with a permanent collection and temporary exhibitions arranged across eight galleries.

Sheffield
Event venue
Sidney and Matilda

Sidney and Matilda, a former paper factory, is now one of Sheffields’s most exciting gig venues and art spaces.

Sheffield
Restaurant
Oisoi

A high-quality pan-Asian restaurant in Sheffield’s city centre, Oisoi is worth a visit to the Steel City right now.

Culture Guides

Theatre in Manchester and the North
Theatre in Manchester and the North

Affecting contemporary performances and fresh, relevant takes on enduring classics, we pick out shows that help us scrutinise the world we live in.

Teenage Dads
Music in Manchester and the North

Fresh concert seasons, forward-thinking festivals and a revolving door of amazing gigs. Things are looking bright as spring comes into view.