South Collyhurst Sports Centre

Manchester School Of Architecture - Year 1 (MArch)

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How do we integrate the existing and new community - through the re-use of existing urban 

landmarks and passive spaces - embracing the boundaries & dealing with the needs of the developer?

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I believe this scheme tackles the objective of benefiting all the parts involved. It helps the developer provide for the community, whilst benefiting from the advertising revenue. In addition, the programme focused on sports, brings the existing and new communities into an environment in which they blend together, reducing the possible social segregation.

 

The scheme is determined by the existing barriers and infrastructures. The derelict cul-de-sac is re-invented into a plaza which physically connects neighbourhoods through a bridge. This creates an exciting space within the existing community, bringing it back to life. The building wraps around the elevated railway platform, and recycles locally sourced materials (rammed earth), in order to create a cohesive environment between the existing and the proposed infrastructure.

 

This project raises some new questions: how do economical factors impact affordable infrastructures? Could embracing marketing through hyper-commodified facades be a solution for a better architecture? It would have been interesting to discuss these matters with FEC, and understand how this is perceived in the industry.