The site was a Baptist Church, trying its best to serve the fragmented community around it, but struggling to do so with its existing facilities. The brief was to provide an architecture that served as a focal point for the community. Drop-in healthcare, multi-functional spaces and a variety of spaces aimed at engaging the population of young students in Grangetown were included.
From Left to Right: Sun Path Diagram, Windrose Diagram, Places of Interest, Footfall
The basic concept for the architecture was to echo the form of the existing baptist church, while providing an important through route to create a second entrance, likely to attract more footfall from the houses in Grangetown.
A workshop has been proposed as a way to engage children and to empower them to make physical things, thus making an impact on their own environment. The congregation have been housed in a new tailored space, while a classroom provides extra space for the school across the road and a community lounge gives people a place to meet and relax.
Ground Floor Plan
First Floor Plan
Left: Second Floor Plan, Right: Roof Plan
Clive Street Elevation
The vertical timber cladding is fixed back to curved battens to mimic the corrugated iron church that once stood on the site: combining a modern technology (CNC) with the site's past.
Worcester Street Elevation
Section AA'
Section BB'
Section CC'
Section DD'
Multi-functional Space
Prayer Space
Workshop
Top: Uses of Multi-functional Space, Bottom: Phasing
The building is designed so that its erection is a community event in itself. A chance to bond over a common interest: making. A self-build manual was produced, designed to guide users through the build and the use of the CNC machine.
