23 October 2015

Blueprint Awards 2015: The winners

Best Sustainable Project or Product

Winner: LYN Atelier, London, UK
Hub 67, London, UK

LYN Atelier, London, UK

JUDGE'S COMMENTS
'An example of a recycled building executed with a sense of humour. Perfectly fit for purpose.' Eva Jiricna

Hub 67 is a temporary community centre in Hackney Wick, constructed with recycled material from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Following the games, the LLDF (previously the Olympic Delivery Authority) had a large collection of materials, from aquatic-centre seating and running tracks to steel frame cabins that were used in the Olympic Village.

These cabins were reconfigured and joined together with additional internal steelwork to form the main structure of the community centre. All the services are surface mounted and the floor was patched up with different colour linoleum where it was punctured to fit in new steel work. Anti-climb fencing, originally used around the Olympic park, was used as the facade, with aluminium tabs cut from cladding panels originally used on the Olympic warm-up centre.

LYN Atelier worked with the local community to design and build elements of the scheme. One example is the colourful chandelier in the main space, made by a local school group and inspired by Hackney's architecture. The facade was also designed and built with local participants.

Says LYN Atelier: 'The project proves that good design can co-exist with an innovative approach to recycling and engagement with the public. Importantly, it also shows that the process of adaptation and re-use can deliver a form that would not necessarily arise if it were purely a new-build project using new materials.'