CoRE A derelict pottery works is being rebuilt as a college dedicated to excellence in refurbishment, writes Martin Spring

摘要

In Stoke-on-Trent a small cluster of brick-built, Victorian-era bottle kilns poke their chimneys out of a derelict pottery works, which is about to be redeveloped to become the UK's one and only Centre for Refurbishment Excellence. Construction started earlier this month at the former Enson Pottery Works, which will soon house a 6,000m2 national venue for teaching, exhibiting and researching sustainable refurbishment and retrofitting. What is more, the conversion itself is to be conducted as a live demonstration project for the education courses it will provide. That, at least, was the worthy and topical intention. But, in the event, when PRP Architects came to survey the derelict buildings, they found several had deteriorated too far to save. Of the three main buildings on the site, only one was deemed worthy of conversion. Fortunately, this was the largest block, containing three of the bottle kilns. It will serve as a conference and exhibition centre above educational workshops.