In 2012, following a competitive interview process, Hoskins Architects were appointed by the Salvation Army to design a visitor and training centre for young people with learning disabilities, at Strawberry Field in Liverpool, England.
The new 1360m² centre, designed as a ‘pavilion in the park’, maximises views and physical connections to the mature woodland setting where John Lennon played as a child. Visible from the historic gates the visitor centre includes an exhibition space, glazed shop and a café that overlooks and opens onto the garden. The training centre, with its greater requirement for privacy, is located deeper into the site with a discrete entrance. Below a lightweight upper floor sits a brick plinth that contains education facilities with direct access to the training garden. A generous shared stair at the heart of the building encourages interaction between building users, while a large oversailing roof provides shelter.