Thame Youth Centre.
Our design response sought to create a strong simple form within the landscape, providing a pleasing and recognisable presence to those benefitting from the use of the building as well as those overlooking the Southern Road, Recreation Ground. The building is located in place of the former changing rooms in an East West axis. This orientation helps to promote views out on to the recreation ground to the south as well as containing a new parking area to the north of the site. The main entrance to the building faces directly on to the new car park which is to be accessed from the existing entranceway located to the north of the site.
We evaluated a number of forms and potential design solutions before arriving at the proposed rectilinear form. The overriding concept is one of a robust block that has been carved & manipulated to form openings & express the functions within the external walls, with curved forms & archways used to provide a softer, more welcoming presence. Similar curved & arched forms can be seen above openings to the Thame Museum as well as the Town Hall.
The building is arranged across a single storey around a central common space (The Hub). This space benefits from an increased height with a glue laminated timber frame and glazed infill panels, extending up & above the buildings primary roof. This feature will provide a beacon of light when in use at night as well as facilitating natural ventilation and promoting sunlight & daylight penetration during daytime activities.
The buildings overall height is set at 4.6m with the lantern structure extended up to a maximum overall height of 6.75m. The height has been informed by the local context and the single storey structures already present on the recreation ground as well as by the range of activities and uses being proposed internally.
The proposed materiality was principally informed by the requirement to provide a robust, secure, sustainable built form. The external material is to be in masonry brickwork, with the brickworks light grey mottled tone chosen to compliment the grey toned brickwork & stone buildings found along the High Street in central Thame. The facades to the upper floors above Boots, Clarks, Robert Days & Waitrose all feature a comparable masonry coloration.
Brickwork has a relatively low embedded energy and can be produced within the UK. It is difficult to scratch or deface and can be cleaned in the event of graffiti.