Homebaked
Liverpool
Services
- Community Consultation
- Architecture
- Interiors
- Training of Young People in Construction Industry
Team
- Client: Homebaked Community Land Trust
- Cost: KAR Consulting
- Structures: SWH Design Services
Area
- Refurbishment: X sqm
- New Build: X sqm
Cost
- Refurbishment: £100,000
- New Build: £2,500,000
Project Overview
Architectural Emporium (AE) were selected to coordinate the community-led design process of a city block in Anfield adjacent to the successful community bakery, Homebaked. The site was to comprise approximately 26 homes, ground floor retail space to reinvigorate the high street, a community garden and a public square. Design proposals were developed by Architectural Emporium through a truly collaborative series of workshops designed to gauge opinion and build consensus.
AE created the favourites wall within the cafe, which helped to categorise the different components of a scheme such as this in order of preference. This method aided the further development of the brief and helped to gauge opinion on subjects such as form, access, materiality and outdoor space. Design proposals were discussed in the bakery at subsequent workshops and responses placed on the favourites wall with pros and cons listed. A book was created by AE to record the process.
Design proposals featured a set of external communal spaces introduced to encourage interaction at the heart of the development. The public square marked the start of the high street and featured business incubator units, a cafe/restaurant and access to the apartments. A first floor courtyard was designed to encourage play with a slide between floors and shard table tennis table. It also created dual aspect apartments either side and provided a view for the open staircase alongside. This led up to the rooftop garden, which provided a social space in which to gather with a bbq shelter. The rooftop private and public gardens featured views over the surrounding area and wider city.
A mix of dual aspect apartment types with useable external space were designed to encourage a mix of tenants including families. In response to the brief, the facade designs were developed to be relatively contextual and ‘slick’ at the front with a ‘revolution’ in the back featuring offset large projecting gardens overlooking the recreation ground.
In addition to the proposals to create a new build block explored above, AE and Homebaked created affordable living opportunities for young people through the completed refurbishment of the disused space above the bakery.
Local apprentices were also taken through the design and construction process to develop their skills and provide useful insight into the construction industry. They took part in all design and delivery meetings and continued as labourers. They also built the bespoke furniture in the scheme.
