NOT every 'street corner' has a grass roof, but that's exactly what the young people of Barnard Castle and the Durham Dales are celebrating.

Their new ‘street corner’ is a new centre called The Hub, the culmination of the vision of Teesdale Community Resources and four years of detailed dialogue, consultation and visits to other centres with local stakeholders.

The young people wanted a centre with a ‘wow’ factor which also provided a range of facilities, was environmentally friendly and sustainable, and provided employment opportunities and work experience to young people.

Regional construction company Clugston and architects Browne Smith Baker made their wishes come true.

Harmoniously blending into the natural local environment, including the installation of a meadow grass roof, the Hub was designed from the outset to deliver activity in a number of “zones” internally and other more adventurous activity externally, including a café, a learning area, a recording studio and performances area, 32-bed accommodation, a BMX track, skate bowl and boating/fishing lake, a crèche, a spa and a vehicle maintenance area.

Clugston Construction aimed from the outset to exceed the criteria laid down in the tender for the employment of local people, youth/children’s engagement and successful delivery.

As well as the grass roof, The Hub incorporated a curved glass section to maximise natural daylight to the concourse and a host of sustainable features including a biomass boiler, high standards of insulation, natural ventilation and on-site water treatment bio digester/reed bed eliminating external waste connections. The boating lake acts as stormwater storage.

The project has been designated an exemplar project by funders My Place and is already receiving visits and interest from youth organisations around the world.

SPONSOR: Corepeople Recruitment
WINNER: The Hub, Barnard Castle
CONSTRUCTION: Clugston Construction
ARCHITECTS: Browne Smith Baker
CLIENT: Teesdale Community Resources