ARCHITECTURE

THUMBS UP

In an idyllic hilly landscape lies the town of Accrington, UK. The buildings are predominantly built of sandstone, with a few clinker brick buildings. Like a "sore thumb" the building of Accrington's former telephone exchange stands out among the small-town flat structure and disturbs the aging townscape further. With a change of use, the premises will be made accessible to the city's residents, and the floors and façade design will be updated.

Date:

Topic:

Draft:

Design:

2021

Stegreif (2 months)

Master, 1st year

Marie Kottmann
Lukas Löpmeier
Caspar Frintz

The cubature will be condensed so that the building is a simple intersection of two cubes. In addition, the top floor is removed and replaced by two lower floors. This will turn the "Sore Thumb" into a "Thumbs Up". The new façade made of sandstone opens up generously with a filigree glass construction that gives it a new face with characteristic round-arched windows. On the ground floor there is a public botanical garden with a water area, and a small day-care centre for children, which has its outdoor play area in the backyard. On the upper floor, there is a spacious library with workstations, revealing magnificent views into the botanical garden. Next to this is a floor with a co-working space. On the top floor is the Sky Lounge, which proudly looks out over the city.