A VISION of how an old Bradford department store could be used in future has been drawn up by architects.

The images show the ‘concept design’, created by Bradford-based Yeme Architects, for the Sunwin House building on Sunbridge Road.

The grand Grade II-listed former Co-operative emporium was built between 1935 and 1936 and was designed by WA Johnson of CWS for the City of Bradford Co-operative Society.

It was built in the International Modernist style and heavily influenced by the German architect Erich Mendelsohn.

Despite its important architectural status, the building has stood empty for a number of years.

Most recently, the building was home to TJ Hughes, but the store closed in August 2011 after the national chain went into administration.

But nearly a decade later, the tide could be turning for the building.

Earlier this month it was announced that a study into the future use of Sunwin House had been awarded funding to investigate its potential.

The Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF) announced a £5,000 Project Viability Grant to Freedom Studios Ltd.

The money will fund a viability study to investigate the potential of building becoming a multi-use cultural hub.

The AHF has been working since 1976 to promote the conservation and sustainable re-use of historic buildings for the benefit of communities across the UK, particularly in economically disadvantaged areas.

It is the leading heritage social investor and the only specialist heritage lender operating in the UK. It provides advice, development grants and loans.

Funding for the Bradford project has been provided under the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport’s ‘Community Enterprise through Heritage’ programme.

Freedom Studios, a contemporary theatre company, has brought together a partnership of other local organisations to see how the building could be brought back into use as a centre for creativity.

In a reader poll on the Telegraph & Argus reader poll when the grant was first announced, 60 per cent of those who voted said they were in favour of the Sunwin House proposals.

Sharing the images, Yeme said: “Finding evocative new uses for city centres can be challenging, (especially when it involves gargantuan former department stores).

“Our concept design aims to repurpose this magnificent Art Deco building using collaboration, vision and creativity to maximise interaction, expression and engagement.”

The design visualises the way in which the building could be used.

It highlights how the space could become a “cultural creative community” where architects, designers and artists would come together.

Other buzzwords and phrases in the concept design include 'meeting room', 'a place to stay', 'a place to meet', 'community cultural unity', 'performance' and 'collaborative collective'.

Yeme recently unveiled its proposals for a striking new look for West Riding House on Bradford's Cheapside.