Church Square Shopping Centre comprises two shopping areas built in 1972-3 and refurbished in 1991. They are separated geographically by a Church square and have a very different feel. The centre is located in the main shopping centre of St Helens, Merseyside and as such forms the dominant part of St Helens prime retail core. The client asked me to come up with various options to increase the viability and marketability of the centre, to increase the amount of retail space and to provide accommodation for larger department stores and anchor stores.
Subsequently to our work on the shopping centre, the Church Canon approached me to provide design concepts to open up the church to the public through the insertion of a café and the relocation of a community hall.