An ambitious and visionary project proposing the transformation of the old Debenhams building in Taunton into a housing and circular economy hub has secured the prestigious 2024 Davidson Prize in the design ideas competition. The conceptual plan reimagines the currently vacant Debenhams structure, idle since May 2021, as an innovative space for new dwellings and a thriving circular economy center.
The groundbreaking concept allocates the first floor for providing affordable “community-owned stepping-stone homes”. Meanwhile, the ground floor is envisioned as a dynamic space dedicated to promoting repair, making, and biomaterials, incorporating a tools library, educational venue, and a shared room for local decision-making about the circular economy.
Additionally, the plan proposes the conversion of the property’s rooftop into a communal gardening area for food production. Although there is no confirmed implementation for StudioSaar’s visionary design method on the unoccupied establishment on North Street as of yet.
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The former Debenhams store in Taunton ceased operations permanently on May 2, 2021, following the company’s administration. The site has remained vacant since then. An application to convert the store into 92 luxury apartments was withdrawn in May 2023.
Conversely, the Debenhams back office at Bedford House on Park Street is set for regeneration. Permission was granted to Daejan (Taunton) Ltd. by the Somerset West and Taunton Council in September 2021 to convert the empty offices into 69 flats. Further approvals were granted to Chestnut Property Developments Ltd. in November 2023, allowing the flats to be put up for sale in the open market.
The Davidson Prize, an annual design ideas competition, places emphasis on transformative architecture of the home. This year’s brief invited creative teams to explore inventive solutions to the housing shortage in the context of climate change.
The winning project, Apartment Store, led by Somerset and India based architecture practice Studio Saar, rethinks traditional department stores in the UK’s towns and cities, envisioning them as new homes and bustling circular economy hubs.
The initiative, which won the People’s Choice Prize as well, aims to revitalize town centers by creating community-owned homes and promoting sustainable practices. It has garnered nearly 1,800 public votes, demonstrating its widespread appeal and impact.
The 2024 Davidson Prize drew almost 40 teams, resulting in a diverse and exciting longlist of 17 projects. The jury, chaired by Amandeep Singh Kalra, praised Apartment Store for providing sustainable homes and rejuvenating high streets, an urgent need in the UK.
The Davidson Prize, sponsored by Total Synergy, aims to inspire and support creative design solutions for the housing crisis and climate change at large.