PRESTON QUARTER REGENERATION
The adaptive reuse of heritage buildings is highly reliant on the interpretation of architectural definitions of different historical periods, current urban contexts and building technologies, enabling new developments to be involved in master plans for future urbanisation. The former St Joseph's Orphanage and Mount Street Hospital in the centre of Preston have been abandoned since 2003 and were destroyed by fire in 2022. The institutional typology of the existing buildings is understood to be an architectural solution for the poor and sick in Victorian British society.
How can an exploration of contentious heritage inform the architectural strategies of adaptive reuse in response to future urbanism? This thesis focuses on understanding the significant values of existing buildings in terms of history, economy, environment and architecture, providing appropriate reuse strategies, and reconnecting the city centre.
Based on the Preston Station quarter planning principles, we sought new opportunities to reactive the Mount Street site and then produced a sequence of building proposals. The building scheme integrates the introduction of a new journey linking the High Street and the River Ribble from north to south, and also from west to east linking Preston railway station and Winkley Square, which creates different atmospheres for people travelling from different places. The building complex involves a range of functional spaces including retail, cafes, restaurants, studios, a gallery, a hotel, a nursery and a care home. Key themes emphasise the creation of a multifunctional site that enhances accessibility and circulation and ensures economic and cultural vitality.
