Value: £2.5m Client: Blackburn & Darwen Youth Zone
Rosslee were awarded the transformation of the 1895 Heritage building, Blackburn’s first electric power station, into an employability hub for the youth zone, along with the refurbishment of the modern adjoining building.
The project was carried out while the youth zone remained open to staff and members, and due to its town centre location, the upmost care and attention was taken to minimise disruption.
On the heritage building, the elevation was cleaned down, with some existing sealed window openings re-constructed with new sashes to match the existing. An old entrance was opened up to create the new glazed entrance, with a platform lift integrated to access the Fusebox directly.
Internally, there were structural alterations to suit the new layout, new partitions were metal stud with Fermacell boarding, existing walls received new dry lining, and new grids or plasterboard ceilings were installed.
A new steel framed mezzanine floor was installed in the double height ‘Event Space’. Beneath the mezzanine, flooring was laid with the Fusebox logo, and a giant LED screen consisting of 180 small LED screens was installed, creating an immersive experience of the media being played.
On the first-floor the new mezzanine area houses the original large crane wheel. The metal heritage features were cleaned and painted, and a small access balcony was repaired. This area now has booth seating constructed, bespoke artist designed lightbox feature wall, neon signage with an industrial finish to sympathize with the buildings original use.
Bespoke timer framed glazed walls and door were designed and manufactured at our joinery workshop to separate the ‘Makers Zone’.
Between the large hall and the heritage building is an existing external wall that had the old arched windows blocked up. The existing coverings of the internal wall were removed to expose the wall on both sides. This received various works, including the removal of the sealed window openings, and new bespoke arched window frames and glazing were installed including local artist designed stained glass. The decorative bricks along the top of the arches were repaired, and one was newly replicated from plaster to match. A long wall-length access ramp was constructed, along with the feature bespoke seating and storage.
The existing front entrance was transformed with tiered external seating and bespoke steel canopies, a living wall and EV charging points. The entrance was re-modelled with speed gates and a large curved reception desk.
The former reception was re-modelled into a ‘Gaming Zone’, containing a high-tech suite of technology, with hexagon ceiling acoustic panels and LED lighting, and a bespoke hexagon shaped LED lit portal doorway, manufactured at our in-house workshop and installed by our in-house skilled workforce.
Various other works included new toilet suites with IPS, fully tiled and vinyl floors, several tea points for welfare facilities, office refurbishments, recording studio with acoustic viewing window and bespoke desks in the adjoining music and DJ rooms.
“Fantastic job – it has been a pleasure working with you.”
Andy Thomas – Finance Director – Blackburn Youth Zone