My work in the Continuity In Architecture atelier focuses on the refurbishment and reuse of existing buildings to create a more stimulating space. Enhancing space through tantalising the senses for an engaging environment.
The ultimate objective of the project is to revitalise a small post-industrial Accrington through the integration of community-driven spaces and opportunities for local businesses to start up cheaply while attracting traffic to the town and its centre.
The title of my project "Histodustrial Regeneration" is responding to the apparent loss of Accrington's past and culture with the general population and in turn its influence in the Lancashire area. Creating a facility for printing provides services for businesses, potential classes, and activities for all ages of the public, as well as unique equipment for larger institutions such as local schools, colleges, universities, and larger companies. Printing relates Accrington's deeply rooted history with the Calico print which saw their products delivered throughout the globe.
Through site analysis, conversating with locals saw a response of nostalgia, for example, during the opening of the Arndale in the 1980s, a large fluctuation of people arrived. Celebratory monuments such as a globe with an angle using a pinwheel that sung to passersby symbolising Accrington's great impact upon the world. All seemed to be nothing but a memory. The demolishment of industrial buildings saw the destruction of the past.
The scheme is built from the rubble of those sites signifying a small renaissance for the town, connecting Accrington back with its past through a proposal that helps small businesses and to aid in the flourishment of Accrington itself.
