Sands End Arts & Community Centre

Timber possibilities shown in heritage preservation.

New mass timber pavilions integrate with a refurbished 1908 Edwardian lodge to create this 661 m² community centre. The project addresses the need for inclusive community facilities, providing spaces for art, fitness, a nursery, and a café run by a residents’ association – with the local population having access to a welcoming, low-carbon hub.

Exposed CLT and glulam reduce the need for finishes, sequester carbon, and allow for future disassembly. Recycled “WasteBasedBricks®” divert 28 tonnes of waste, while over 35% of the fabric uses recycled content.

With careful adaptive reuse, Passivhaus-inspired daylighting, and low-impact materials, the centre achieves major embodied carbon savings. It shows how heritage preservation and timber innovation can combine to deliver climate-positive, community-driven design.

 

 

 

 

Images are used with permission of the Prize applicant and are not authorised for other use.