The recently opened Alloa Hub has been shortlisted in the Stirling Society of Architects Awards.

Austin-Smith:Lord was appointed by Hub East Central to convert the former Alloa public convenience into a new Community Hub to enhance local identity and promote active travel such as walking, running and cycling.

The refurbishment demonstrates a strong commitment to sustainability by retaining and upgrading a thermally poor energy-performing building with a deep retrofit approach that significantly improves the building’s thermal efficiency, transferring the building into a valuable decarbonised community asset with very low running costs. Furthermore, the travel hub discourages use of private vehicles and promotes health and wellbeing by encouraging outdoor activities that allow people to connect and appreciate nature.

The Hub now features a large flexible space, a workshop, an accessible WC available to the public as well as a shop sell­ing local and handmade crafts and the exhibition of a hand stitched tapestry. External bike parking and a Forth E-Bike docking station were also provided for cycle training lessons.

The tapestry was produced by over 40 volunteer stitchers, working as a team through the pandemic. Based on a design by Andrew Crummy, each of the five panels depicts a local Clackmannanshire trade, bringing the history and culture of the area to life.

Adjacent to the tapestry at a low level height for children is a viewing panel that exhibits the use of sheep’s wool insulation. This intervention was installed in attempt to start dialogue and spark interest of the net-zero challenges of today with the younger generations.

We’re delighted this project has helped contribute to the rejuvenation of the town centre, with Living Alloa recently recognised in the SURF awards: https://www.surf.scot/2022-surf-award-winners-announced/

Oliver Goddard, Senior Architect at Austin-Smith:Lord said “The recently opened Hub has preserved and revitalised meaningful life in to mundane building stock whilst fostering community cohesion and depicting a strong sense of identity. We are delighted to see it recognised in these awards”