Year 3 university project.
This project’s brief was to establish an ‘environmental hub’ and what it can be within the context of Christchurch Road, Bournemouth. The outcome imagines a building where people can learn, teach and collaborate to become more aware of environmental issues locally and globally by creating a sustainable, innovative, and community-oriented hub. Incorporating the form of an Amphitheatre creates an open and accessible space to engage in activities such as debates, lectures, performances and other events. Below the exterior seating is a series of stepped floors that form a more intimate space within the building, making a section with different programmes involving multiple exhibition spaces, a Library and archive, offices, mixed-use workshop space and a cafe.
Christchurch Road is a built-up area located towards the top of Bournemouth town with a mix of residential, offices, shops, food places and Bournemouth college campus. Despite the road’s mix of buildings, there is a lack of interactive spaces, and it is instead used as a pass-through for car and foot traffic. The hub will be located on the south side of the road behind a block of flats and replace the derelict bingo hall that is currently there. The bingo hall’s entrance continues into a larger structure surrounded by a car park. Removing the old hall forms an opening between the middle and opens up ample space behind without disrupting the flats. Placing the hub in such a way by pushing back from the existing buildings makes better use of the currently wasted space and replaces the car park with a garden and sculpture park.
