Continuity are interested in the cultural heritage of the city – from the city as a collection of physical historical artefacts, to the way people use the buildings, landscapes, and spaces that contribute to the distinct identity of the place. We see buildings as integral and related pieces of the city that help people maintain and transmit place-based cultural identity. We believe it is important to prioritise the intangible and tangible context of places to design architecture with meaning.

This year the Atelier worked in Crewe, a town situated in the northwest of England, Cheshire, approximately 35 miles south of Manchester. BA3 worked on the existing Crewe Heritage Centre site and public realm – a complex plot of land located southeast of Crewe town centre. The site is surrounded by the existing Crewe Heritage Centre and the railway lines that have up until now defined the town’s cultural heritage and social history.

In collaboration with Crewe Town Council and underpinned by the atelier’s focus on ‘craft’ and ‘making’, students were asked to critically engage with Crewe’s heritage to transform the existing Heritage Centre into a dynamic and engaging cultural heritage destination capable of welcoming 60,000 visitors per year.