HARBOR HORIZON:: Reawakening the Rooted Heritage
Harbour Horizon, is a place-based architectural intervention that reimagines Whitehaven’s historic harbourfront as a civic and cultural commons. Centred around the revitalisation of the heritage Turkish bath and the introduction of a contemporary amphitheatre, the proposal aims to bridge past and future through inclusive, intergenerational public space. At its core, the project responds to the town’s declining youth engagement and fragmented civic life, offering new spaces for gathering, working, performing, and reflecting spaces that are accessible to all.
The design’s primary ambition is to promote socio-cultural regeneration by activating dormant heritage and weaving it into the fabric of everyday life. The amphitheatre serves as a multifunctional platform for both local events and major festivals, most notably the Tall Ship Festival, which once brought vibrancy and identity to the town. By framing this festival through architecture both spatially and symbolically the project helps restore a key moment of collective pride and place-making.
Materially, the project draws from Whitehaven’s maritime past. Timber, inspired by the shipbuilding techniques used in historic tall ships, is reinterpreted in the amphitheatre’s sun-shading fins and primary structural frames. It conveys warmth, rhythm, and craftsmanship. Reclaimed brick from demolished local structures is reused in the landscaping, grounding the project in memory. Meanwhile, colourful glazing, referencing the pebbles on Whitehaven’s shore, adds a layer of sensory engagement.
The association between the Turkish bath and the Tall Ship Festival becomes a narrative of transition where restorative heritage meets communal celebration. Together, these elements create a vibrant, accessible, and resilient waterfront that reflects the identity of Whitehaven while projecting new possibilities for its future.
