The Bluecoat, Liverpool
The Bluecoat is the earliest surviving building in Liverpool city centre and the oldest arts space of its kind in the United Kingdom. Built in 1717 as a school for poor children, it became an arts centre in 1911, and hosted the first ever UK exhibition outside of London featuring works by Picasso, Matisse, Cézanne and Van Gogh.
Austin-Smith:Lord’s brief was to reposition the arts centre as the city’s new creative hub, restoring the historic fabric of the Grade I listed building, improving access and adding a new wing for an art gallery and multi-purpose performance space in time for the European Capital of Culture celebrations in 2008.
The new garden at the Bluecoat has opened the area up and is now used by all who visit. It is a social space, full of life.
Alastair Upton – Chief Executive, The Bluecoat
My god, but this is good
Opening words of the first review of the redevelopment of The Bluecoat, RIBA Journal, Editor
LOCATION: LIVERPOOL
CLIENT: THE BLUECOAT
VALUE: £12.5M
COMPLETION: 2008
SERVICE: ARCHITECTURE, INTERIORS, MASTERPLANNING, URBAN DESIGN, LANDSCAPE
SECTOR: ARTS & CULTURE
CONTRACTOR: KIER NORTH WEST
LANDSCAPE: AUSTIN-SMITH:LORD
STRUCTURES: TECHNIKER
SERVICES: ERNEST GRIFFITHS
COST CONSULTANT: GLEEDS
AWARDS:
2008 RIBA AWARD
2008 LIVERPOOL ARCHITECTURAL SOCIETY AWARDS: SPORT, LEISURE, CULTURAL AND BEST LIVERPOOL BUILDING
AYRSHIRE HOSPICEDesign of a supportive palliative care environment for those in Ayrshire with life-limiting illness- FITZALAN HIGH SCHOOL, CARDIFFA key brief objective was that the design of the new school should provide flexible and adaptable spaces to teach and learn the New Progressive Curriculum
- AYR RIVERSIDERedevelopment in the heart of the town centre within the designated Ayr Central Conservation Area
- SUNNYSIDE HOUSE, BRIDGENDDesign of a supportive palliative care environment for those in Ayrshire with life-limiting illness
- YSGOL Y GRAIG PRIMARY SCHOOLNew build, 240 pupil, one form entry primary and nursery school in Merthyr Tydfil
- SUNNYSIDE WELLNESS VILLAGEIntegrating Wellness into the design of this sustainable, mixed-use development
- LIFE SCIENCES INNOVATION CENTRE, INVERNESS£9 million Life Sciences Innovation Centre in Inverness for partnering Client consortium of Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI).
