Built in 1861, this former church closed to worship in 2009 and has since housed our NE40 Studios within its vacated volume. From the outset, we planned to create something special within the space. The COVID lockdowns of 2020–21 gave us the opportunity to realise that ambition.
Project REINVENTION focuses on the sustainable retention of a valuable community and heritage asset. The project further repurposes the building and uses design to address climate change, health and wellbeing, and the impact of COVID.
The scheme restores the existing structure and introduces a new architectural kit of parts, placed theatrically within the volume. These elements create flexible architecture, artist studios, and potential future living spaces. Internal gardens of plants and trees sit within the building and connect via bridges that span an internal pond.
The internal gardens help offset the building’s carbon footprint. The pond uses recycled water. The retained mass fabric and naturally ventilated volume support the aims of the RIBA 2030 Climate Challenge.
The pond reveals itself on entry through the original church doors and sets the tone for the experience inside. It introduces a sensory journey of discovery and establishes the building as a place for creative working and future living.
The design engages the senses through the sound of water, the scent of eucalyptus, and the tactile contrast between old and new materials. Visually, the light-filled retained structure combines with the drama of the new architectural insertions.
Art and architecture converge through a centrally located sculptural kit of parts. Horizontal and vertical geometric forms sit behind glazed screens and recall a Mondrian composition. Colour remains controlled through natural materials, green planting, and fish within the pond.
NE40 Studios stands as a reinvented place. The project demonstrates how a sustainable architectural approach can successfully repurpose redundant buildings and offers a model that could apply to thousands of similar structures across the UK.
