Phoenix Youth Activity Park, Runcorn

It was a requirement of the brief that the building must be robust. Hence it was designed as a polished concrete shell, half buried in the hillside. Surveillance and views out are offered by its large glazed openings. For security, these are covered at night by roller shutters, whose yellow boxes act through the day to emphasise the building’s entrance. It stands as a beacon for the gateway to the park from the north. However from the top of the hill it is completely invisible,

The polished raven grey concrete is waterproofed within the mix, alleviating the necessity for any exposed flashings or coverings to the accessible roof, which would be vulnerable to failure or vandalism over time.