Wolverhampton Youth Shelter, central England

Youth Shelter, Wolverhampton, West Midlands, UK 2009 Sjölander da Cruz Architects Images added 8 Dec 2009 Commissioned through MADE (Midlands Architecture & the Designed Environment) and the Government Office for the West Midlands this collaborative project between Sjölander da Cruz Architects and artist Gwen Heeney offers an alternative to the mass produced youth shelters that proliferate today to regenerate that area of Wolverhampton. The design of the shelter emerged from a series of workshops and consultations between the architect, artist and youth groups centered around a skatepark in the heart of Wolverhampton. Involvement and enthusiasm for the project included a cross generation of people similar to the cross section of ages the Dartmouth Park Community Pavilion will be engaging. The workshops gave the young people and older generation a chance to experiment with sculpture, photography, painting and architecture, analysing the movement of the skaters as they perform tricks. The resulting form blurs the boundaries between art and architecture and provides a innovative addition to the public space in Wolverhampton. Wolverhampton Youth Shelter Design: The final design consists of two elements, a sculptural carved brick base and a cantilevered steel canopy above. The base was carved by everyone involved during a workshop lasting several days. The steelwork has now been fabricated and the project is due to be completed in November 2007. Wolverhampton Youth Shelter images / information from Sjölander da Cruz Architects 021107

Mecanoo