The Craft Hub Building designed by Spawforths, has been ‘Highly Commended’ in the 2011 RICS Pro-Yorkshire Awards. The building comprises part of new premises for Pennine Camphill Community, a specialist college providing further education and support for young people with learning difficulties.
The Craft Hub Building was entered into the Design & Innovation category of the awards from the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors earlier this year. The building beat off competition from several larger, more expensive projects including the £12m Northern Ballet Theatre and Phoenix Dance Theatre Building in Leeds, and was beaten to the first place only by the Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, which now goes through to the national awards. Known as the region's ”Property Oscars” the RICS awards celebrate the most inspirational regional initiatives and developments.
Students at the Pennine Camphill Community, learned disabled young people between the ages of 18 – 25, some of whom are resident at Camphill, are now settling into their new crafts space. The building’s two interconnecting circular workshops are being used for craft activities such as wood carving, textile and basket weaving and pottery, which teach students work skills such as co-ordination, communication, perseverance and self-esteem. The design of the building reflects the essence of the rural craft activities it accommodates through its form, scale and choice of materials. It allows workshop access to our outdoor spaces through green woodwork, willow beds and outdoor kilns.
College Vice Principal, William Taylor says:
After four years of planning and waiting we have been delighted with the final building which has exceeded all our expectations and dreams. As a small college we feel honoured to be able to use such a striking building that has given a fresh lift to the work we do with the crafts and horticulture. The ability of the teaching staff to work closely together in a thought out space has added tremendous value to the offer that we can make to our students. The “wow” factor on first approaching the building for everyone who sees and uses it lifts expectations and provides a wonderful feel good factor.
The building’s unique design includes features such as hirsute block constuction, responsibly sourced timber cladding, natural ventilation and lighting and is highly insulated, all of which are suited to a sustainable, environmentally conscious environment which responds sensitively to its greenbelt setting and is accessible to all. The building also boasts the UK’s only conical shingle roof, for which it won the National Federation Roofing Award for Shingles and Shakes in 2010.
Architectural director of Spawforths, Dawn Jenkins comments:
The Craft Hub building is a delightful building that responds sensitively to its landscape setting and functional requirement. It provides exemplary educational facilities for the students and teachers at Pennine Camphill Community and makes a positive contribution to student learning and development.
The Craft Hub building was developed by Torpoint Ltd and funded by Co-op Bank.