The brief for this sustainable retrofit project was to collaborate and work with Withington Baths to explore ways to conserve and develop the community, building and wider site.
The approach for this project adapted the tagline: ‘Reflect, Respect, Retrofit.’ It aimed to pay respect to the existing building's current uses and architectural language, whilst appropriately extending, amending, and improving its function and uses to create a community-based social hub for people to socialise, relax and enjoy.
Within the social hub, there are smaller flexible ‘pods’ constructed from hempcrete which can be adapted or disassembled to keep up with the ever-changing needs and wants of the community. These pods sit inside a timber truss structure which houses a glazed roof. This ‘Winter garden’ allows a symbiosis between the indoors and outdoors, acting as a primary climate shelter, but still provides a visual connection to nature.
A key feature investigated were the use of mechanical retractable louvres.
