In an idyllic hilly landscape lies the town of Accrington, UK. The buildings are predominantly built of sandstone, with a few clinker brick buildings. Like a „sore thumb“ the building of Accrington’s former telephone exchange stands out among the small-town flat structure and disturbs the aging townscape further.
With a change of use, the premises will be made accessible to the city’s residents, and the floors and façade design will be updated. The cubature will be condensed so that the building is a simple intersection of two cubes. In addition, the top floor is removed and replaced by two lower floors. This will turn the „Sore Thumb“ into a „Thumbs Up“. The new façade made of sandstone opens up generously with a filigree glass construction that gives it a new face with characteristic round-arched windows.
On the ground floor there is a public botanical garden with a water area, and a small day-care centre for children, which has its outdoor play area in the backyard. On the upper floor, there is a spacious library with workstations, revealing magnificent views into the botanical garden. Next to this is a floor with a co-working space. On the top floor is the Sky Lounge, which proudly looks out over the city.
