The Copeland Community Centre
Our third-year InfraSpace project revolved around the concept of a transport hub as a response to the disparity of Cumbria. There is a clear understanding of the East-West divide in Cumbria, and our site’s location in the western borough of Copeland revealed opportunity to seek what the residents needed and how it could be improved, acknowledging policy on the basis of an architectural project.
My research led to a correlation between the advancements of digital healthcare and an older population living in a rural environment, and how this was potentially an unnoticed problem. The idea was to create a community hub that centred around a healthcare clinic, which would be facilitated by other amenities including a library, workshop space, exercise room, counselling service, café and a surrounding green space.
The motif of trees is reflected in the building, in the central glass atrium and between the wings of the clinic. The space aims to make use of the nearby views of the Lake District whilst also creating a newfound community among those who need it most. Users can make use of a daily bus service to spend the day in the centre for healthcare, leisure, or both.
