Crafts Collective
T Snape Printer have been located in Preston specializing in traditional printmaking for over 166 years. However, it was closed down in 2024 as a result to the new normal after COVID-19. The building was tucked in an alleyway just off the high street and has evolved organically from 5 individual buildings over time.
The building has been transformed into an art and cultural centre to provide studio and co-working space for the local artisans. Crafts Collective is the continuity of Guild, an incubator for local crasftsperson promoting the exchange of knowledge and providing service to the community.
The design was developed from a master planning point of view to utilize negative space (alleyways) as an urban threshold to connect the neighbourhood. From the portal of frame to the civic space, through the building into the step garden, the journey was curated to recreate the historical walk patterns and to preserve the view of St. John Minster’s. The strategy is to complete the building as a whole - a new extension as the new entrance facing the main traffic; a new roof that extends from the existing gables; a semi-open structure as a transition from indoor to outdoor space.
