LOTTERY FUNDED COMMUNITY HUB
The Hub opened its doors to the public in December 2017. The project to transform the original Edwardian School in the centre of Friockheim was originally won in competition in September 2015 but faced a number of challenges before construction finally started early in 2016.
The project focuses on the conservation and restoration of the village’s historic category ‘C’ listed primary school.. The building itself was constructed in 1900.
The need to repair and restore the school proved the catalyst for a more ambitious plan to address not only all the accessibility and practical needs of a school in the 21st Century but also to provide for the aspirations of a vibrant community with a lively community programme by creating new Performance, Social and Workshop spaces.
The design proposed the provision of a large hall; cafe, offices, exhibition space, gym and meeting place.
The design focuses on revealing the original school – exposing what was once its external side wall of stone within a new top lit triple height foyer and enjoying the moments where one passes from new to old through this wall. All the public facilities are then directly linked to this foyer – the studio and community spaces open directly off it and the cafe and bar sit within it at ground and first floor. The key goal of the scheme is to create simple, legible and accessible routes to all spaces.
The new Entrance on East Street is part of a wider master-plan to make that street into a cultural hub with the hall at one end and the community at the other.
The new Studio Theatre, which is a fully flexible flat floored space with retractable seating for 200 is located at first floor level above the Mill Street entrance. Its reflective metal and glass exterior is back-lit to form the principal facade of the new theatre and includes a giant LED TV screen which can broadcast the shows within. There is also a second flexible performance room – which can be subdivided – for workshops and community activities.
