Shortlisted Competition Entry 2019 – Croydon Council

IMPLEMENTING A SERIES OF NEW SPACES

The Ambassador House forecourt, now an unloved Modernist relic, is currently a transient space lacking definition and purpose. The Store at Thornton Heath is a
carefully considered multi-functional object which defines two new public spaces of the Ambassadors House forecourt. It takes an otherwise overlooked item, the
storage box, as the key component of a new shared space. A new covered market space is proposed running east-west with direct access from the station opposite.
An exhibition and projection space opens up on the south face of The Store, where films or artistic productions could be staged in the future. The location and use
of this lends itself to a potential re-opening of the pub, activating this space especially in evenings and weekends. The location of The Store brings definition to an
unloved forecourt.

COLLECTIVE OWNERSHIP OF PUBLIC SPACE

The Store is designed to enable the storage of tables, basic equipment for temporary events and form the watering point for the upkeep of nearby green spaces. The
Store allows for each of its walls to be decorated as a collaborative mural in light of Thornton Heath’s evidence of local street art. The murals would be designed in
collaboration with local residents as well as local art groups in order for the Store to act as a true expression of its place. The Store also allow for active participation
by individuals by nature of its design, incorporating seats into its facade that can be collected and put back as and when events or gathering take place.

A CENTRE FOR DISCUSSION AND OPPORTUNITY

The Store provides what is currently missing in Thornton Heath, a focal point for the free expression of art and ideas. The work of local artists is currently hidden,
without a vehicle to share ideas. However, the reactivation of the forecourt provides a chance to attract local stakeholder groups to create a curated combination of
events appropriate to local people. By casting a wide net across the Thornton Heath area to include local schools, manufacturers, restaurants, bars and artists, The
Store can become a placemaking success and a destination local people can be proud about.