Kinning Park Complex

Kinning Park Complex (KPC) is a community owned building in the Southside of Glasgow, steeped with rich history; it has been an ever-changing centre for education, activism, and protecting its local community for over a century. Originally built for use as a primary school in 1910, today Kinning Park Complex is a multi-use community space focusing on a wide variety of activities taking place over four key strands: Community, Citizenship, Creativity and Wellbeing. We have been working with the community since 2017 to develop a design proposal which added weight to their winning Big Lottery Bid. We worked with KPC to develop a RIBA stage 2 feasibility study; create a business development model that worked with the ebb and flow of their financial position and a low-energy strategy with an eye on increasing prices; working beyond the traditional role of architect. We developed a design for £600,000, £1.4m and £2.2m refurb options before the level of funding was guaranteed, which helped persuade the National Lottery to cover the building’s purchase and essential works. In March 2019 additional funding was secured from the Scottish Government’s Regeneration Capital Grant Fund securing the future of Kinning Park Complex and the building's much needed redesign. Our approach to the building is one of adaptive re-use. Working with the community, we sought to create a resilient organisation, not simply a beautiful building. Making the most of the building’s heritage and existing structure to create functional, flexible and accessible community and creative workspaces across all three storeys. The internal reorganisation will allow for the delivery and bolstering of valuable community events and resources - drop-in cafe, events and learning opportunities - as well as conferences, sports classes and cultural events. KPC is a product of pragmatic decisions: every piece of furniture is repurposed or renewed, fittings can be replaced at B&Q, and even the bin-bag budget dictated the design; everything is designed to be ‘maintained on a shoestring with a single caretaker or janitor.’ This bright, colourful and warm building full of personality will provide a space for the community in Kinning Park Complex to come together, make new connections and build on existing local relationships for years to come.