United States
project
Youthscape – Bute Mills
Youthscape is a British Charity that helps disadvantaged young people through hands-on therapy, counselling and programming.
Having outgrown their office space, they selected Structure Tone to complete the ambitious refurbishment of Bute Mills – one of the most iconic buildings in Luton Town Centre.
It was Youthscape’s desire to integrate their new youth facility into Bute Mills, whist maintaining the character of the 100-year-old steam and flour mill.
Structure Tone London committed to providing 16,000 hours of ‘not-for-profit’ refurbishment management services to complete Youthscape’s transformative space.
The whole procedure took 20 weeks to reach completion; which involved a full demolition, cut and carve of the existing internal building fabric over 5 floors and major alterations to the main roof structure to create an open plan space. All existing services were removed and replaced with exposed electrical and mechanical systems with the obvious challenge of ensuring the new installation worked with the old building fabric.
The building sports significant architectural embellishment including bracketed cornice and high level gable and feature water tank on corbelled brick support shaft.
One of the biggest challenges was to refurbish a century old timber floor. Each timber board was delicately hand sanded and each nail countersunk or replaced. The boards received three coats of enriching varnish to restore the antique timber’s grain and luster.
COMPANY
Architect
HOK
Client
Youthscape, Charity No: 1081754
Address
28 Guildford St.
Location
Luton, United Kingdom
SF
12,500sf
Project Manager
Tower 8
Project Engineer
Troup Bywaters & Anders
Quantity Surveyor
CORE 5 LLP