St Lukes

Through in-depth meetings with the stakeholders, it was possible to unpick the needs and opportunity of the site, resulting in a phased design to create and support the thriving hub, working alongside the traditional church offer. Phase one was the creation of Host Café within the existing church hall. The underutilised hall was in need of upgrading to create a multifunctioning space which is comfortable throughout the year, with reduced running costs. The renovation has transformed the building with a flexible interior layout, adaptable for a mixture of community events. A light touch solution used the modest budget, transforming the basic church hall into a welcoming environment with an industrial feel, fitted out with movable furniture, atmospheric lighting and comfortable seating. The renovation included the introduction of high-performance windows, new electrics and sockets to support ad hoc working, a full redecoration, and the creation of a separate office and storage space. Externally the hall is wrapped in new timber fins overlay on the existing blockwork, with a simple cross carved out of the exterior which illuminates into the neighbourhood at night. The project has delivered a successful, sustainable reuse project, reengaging an underutilised space within the existing church, transforming the space with a carefully spent budget to create a real community asset. The new café is set up for the good of the community, with all profits from it being re-invested into the local community. The second phase of the project, due to start when funding allows, will look to reengage the church frontage and create a beautiful, enticing courtyard garden to welcome the community in.