Transformation of vacant retail units into community-focused spaces, as part of Weston-super-Mare’s ‘Super Weston’ vision for regeneration.
Studio Lime delivered executive architectural services for the detailed technical design and construction stages of We Are Super Studios in Weston-super-Mare for North Somerset Council. This project was part of the wider ‘Super Weston’ ten-year vision for the renewal and regeneration of Weston-super-Mare.
The project involved the refurbishment of several vacant shop units in the Sovereign Shopping Centre, located in the heart of Weston-super-Mare.
These units were transformed into a vibrant mix of uses, including a café, bike shop, flexible studio workspaces, and a multi-purpose event space.
Each unit was stripped back to its bare shell and reimagined with a raw, industrial aesthetic, using materials such as timber studs, oriented strand board (OSB), and galvanised metal sheeting. All new partitions were designed to be demountable, allowing for future reuse of materials and supporting a sustainable reduce, reuse, recycle approach to construction. A new glazed opening was introduced between the café and the shopping concourse to enhance visibility and encourage interaction between the space and passing visitors.
Studio Lime worked for Main Contractor Bray and Slaughter, developing the initial design proposals by Turner Works through technical design to completion. As part of the detail design stage, we coordinated the many sub-contractor packages and produced contractors proposals for discussion with end user groups.
Our team coordinated multiple subcontractor packages and produced detailed contractor proposals for discussion with the end-users ensuring the final spaces delivered on both practical requirements and the ambitions of the project as a whole.
