News / Black South West Network
New Centre for Black Enterprise & Culture to open in St Paul’s
A new Centre for Black Enterprise & Culture promises to be “a mixed-use asset for a local and global community, from within the heart of St Paul’s”.
The current headquarters of Black South West Network (BSWN) on Upper York Street is set to be transformed into space for offices and studios; enterprise incubation; digital and physical exhibitions; performance spaces; cultural resource and learning; and an onsite cafe.
The historic 19th century Coach House building will be retrofitted, renovated and extended under plans drawn up by St Paul’s-based architects Askew Cavanna Architects.
is needed now More than ever
BSWN director, Sado Jirde, said that getting to the stage where planning permission has now been submitted “has been an insanely challenging, rewarding and invigorating process!”
Writing on LinkedIn, she said: “Looking forward to next chapter with equal dose of nervousness and excitement!”
The Coach House today – photo: Martin Booth
What the Coach House could look like – image: Askew Cavanna Architects
Also writing on LinkedIn, Askew Cavanna Architects of Backfields Lane said: “For the past year, our team have been working with Black South West Network to explore the potential for retrofitting, renovating and extending their current home, a 19th Century Coach House, to create a Centre for Black Enterprise and Culture.
“Driven with clarity and passion from an ambitious client, the project is an opportunity to revive an underperforming building into a mixed-use asset for a local and global community, from within the heart of St Paul’s.
“Phased proposals have been developed in conjunction with a full design team and aim to repair the defective building fabric, improve natural light and ventilation, reduce regulated CO2 emissions and lower energy bills, remedy existing way-finding and safety issues and make the whole building accessible for the first time, no mean feat!
The future of the Coach House will see an expanded mixed-use space – image: Askew Cavanna Architects
“It has been a challenging but rewarding process, where a programme of considered and meaningful engagement has helped to focus the values and priorities for the scheme.
“The project will offer space for offices and studios; enterprise incubation; digital and physical exhibition, collaboration and performance; cultural resource and learning; and onsite café/ hospitality.
“Take a look at the recently submitted planning application to see how we hope the Coach House can be transformed!”
Main image: Askew Cavanna Architects
Read next:
- Black South West Network’s vision for new ‘transformative enterprise hub’
- Technology incubator launched for Black and minoritised entrepreneurs
- ‘True equality can only be achieved through concrete and measurable results’
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