Category: ARCHITECTURE: Public Building

The Leeds Playhouse has been transformed by a radical reconfiguration and extension of the existing building to create a new face for the organisation and improve accessibility for all. Originally built to face a development that never materialised, the Playhouse had ended up turning its back on Leeds. The redevelopment brief was to re-orientate the entrance, reconnecting the theatre with the city. The need to make the building more accessible in every sense was fundamental to the Playhouse, as was […]

The ‘Alban, Britain’s First Saint’ NLHF-supported project at St Albans Cathedral called for a new Welcome and Learning Centre to be created by connecting the Grade I listed Cathedral to its Chapter House building, built in the early 1980s to a design by Sir William Whitfield. This provides much-needed additional accommodation and upgraded facilities designed to support the varying needs of the Cathedral congregation, education groups, visitors and staff. Set within the archaeologically-sensitive Monks’ Graveyard site in Sumpter Yard, the […]

In 2009 Hoskins Architects won a national competition for the redevelopment and expansion of the category A listed Aberdeen Art Gallery. The Gallery, Cowdray Hall and War Memorial complex has a significant presence within the city and houses an exceptional collection, particularly of Scottish Colourists and contemporary artists. Completed in October 2019 the scheme delivers various significant alterations to improve the visitor experience, tackling access from the street and public circulation, improving visitor services and greatly increasing display areas. Throughout, […]

Monifieth Parish Church is a union of 3No congregations who decided in 2008 to set aside their respective traditional church buildings to construct a new church for the 21st Century. Lee Boyd won a limited competition to help the congregation imagine and realise a new home for the Church in 2013 and, following an initial appraisal and consultations, a proposal for a bold modern church on the high street at the heart of the local community was agreed as the […]

The Egg Shed provides a new destination for learning about the rich heritage of the village of Ardrishaig and the local area around the Crinan Canal, alongside facilities for both visitors and local residents. Space is provided for interpretation and orientation through a permanent exhibition on the history of the area, its natural heritage and the design and engineering of the canal itself, with supporting retail, a multi-purpose community space and new landscaped external public realm. Sitting adjacent to Pier […]

In 2012, following a competitive interview process, Hoskins Architects was appointed by the Salvation Army to design a visitor and training centre for young people with learning disabilities, at Strawberry Field in Liverpool. The new 1360m² centre, designed as a ‘pavilion in the park’, maximises views and physical connections to the mature woodland setting where John Lennon played as a child. Visible from the historic gates the visitor centre includes an exhibition space, glazed shop and a café that overlooks […]

Menzieshill, a district in Dundee, was once recognised by the five 15 storey towers, housing over 440 residents, that formed the centre of this residential neighbourhood. The complex, designed in 1963, provided a range of community and social amenities within the ground floor levels of the towers, linked to a purpose-built community hall. When the last of the towers were demolished, and residents rehoused, the visual landscape of the neighbourhood was changed dramatically, with only the existing community centre remaining, […]

The Grade ‘A’ Listed Watt Institution is an important building historically, civically, socially and culturally. It houses archives, locally bequeathed artefacts and world class artwork.  The building consists of a museum, art gallery and library along with a large hall for temporary exhibitions and community events. Over time the fabric of the building had deteriorated to the point where both the building and its contents were being irreparably damaged.  Inverclyde Council had an extremely limited budget to address the situation […]

In 1832 when first built, Moat Brae was the most elegant house in Dumfries and was intended to form the start of a prestigious new terrace which was never built.  Its garden is where JM Barrie, the famous playwriter, played out pirate and castaway adventures with his boyhood friends. It was his inspiration for Neverland and the birthplace of Peter Pan.  By the early 21st century, the house was unoccupied, seriously damaged by vandalism and water ingress, and under threat […]