Finding the Existing Beauty of our Communities

Through studying Stroud themes emerged from the place itself. Stroud prides itself on its support of local businesses and people, as well the birthplace of extinction rebellion. Addressing themes of Sustainability, Wellbeing, Community and Local Learning naturally led the project.

Stroud has a strong eco-warrior persona, retrofitting an existing public building respects this, minimising the waste of construction. Stroud also needed space for the community, where Stroud's people can come to learn and teach one another. This builds community spirit, becoming a place of socialisation across the Stroud's different demographics.

To start the problems of the existing underused Stroud Library were identified so solutions could begin to form. Using physical massing models the site was further explored but within the structural grid of the existing building. From these models two development iterations were created utilising successes from earlier testing. Opening the site, becoming welcoming to the public, inviting people into the space ,rather than the previous intimidating façade. The function of the building as a combination of a library of things cafe, and teaching kitchen, provided a multi-use space for the community come together. Learning from one another in the teaching kitchen,sharing stories in the cafe and sharing to minimise household wastage in the library of things.

Setting the proposal as a retrofit early on and created boundaries that prioritised the needs of the people first, led to a people first proposal. It was successful as a space to unite, and has the potential to grow as the community and their needs change over time.