The Bridge Arts Centre

Gareth Hoskins Architects won an open competition in 2000 to design this new arts centre and community library with life-long learning facilities. The project challenges the notion of a traditional 'arts' building to create a new focus for people within one of Glasgow's most notorious peripheral housing estates to engage with and take part in the arts. The new centre provides theatre, rehearsal, workshop, recording, practice suites, education and gallery spaces, café and local community library. Rather than create a freestanding 'arts centre' the design nestles the new facilities between the existing public swimming pool and FE college. Easterhouse lacks any form of central public space. The project aims to create such a public focus and meeting place, with the new library conceived as a street surrounded by the activity of the new facilities, linking between the pool and college and out to the surrounding streets. The project has since won numerous prestigious awards.