## A Modern Scottish Architecture Studio: O’DonnellBrown’s Performance Arts Hub
O’DonnellBrown, a 1970s community centre in Kilmarnock, has undergone a radical transformation, transforming a once-vibrant space into a versatile performing arts hub for the charity organization Take A Bow. This project, spearheaded by Jennifer O’Donnell and Sam Brown, marks a significant step forward in Scotland’s cultural landscape.
The studio has transformed the building into a dynamic and engaging hub, fostering a diverse range of activities. From youth performance and artistic expression to workshops and community events, O’DonnellBrown aims to create a space that celebrates the vibrant culture of Scotland.
The project’s success is underpinned by the significant investment and expertise of the local community. The studio’s commitment to the local area has fostered a strong sense of ownership and pride in the community.
The studio’s commitment to preserving and improving the existing building fabric is evident in its thoughtful and sustainable approach to renovations. By utilizing locally sourced materials and implementing eco-friendly practices, O’DonnellBrown aims to minimize its environmental impact and contribute to the long-term health of the building.
The renovated centre is now a welcoming and inclusive space, offering a range of social, cultural, and educational opportunities for its diverse community. It stands as a testament to O’DonnellBrown’s dedication to fostering a vibrant and engaging culture within Scotland.
Scottish architecture studio O’DonnellBrown has overhauled and extended a 1970s community centre in Kilmarnock to create a performing arts hub for the charity organisation Take A Bow.
The studio has transformed the building into a versatile space for youth performance and development, while preserving and improving as much of the existing building fabric as possible.
O’DonnellBrown was commissioned by not-for-profit performing arts organisation Take A Bow in 2021. From the early design stages, the studio worked with the local community to tailor the space to their needs.
In response, the studio updated the building’s entrance and exterior appearance, improved the existing auditorium and repositioned the changing rooms.
Marking the transformation, a glued-laminated (glulam) timber colonnade was added along the south elevation, with the existing car park relocated to the rear of the building.
“Its primary function is to create a new frontage, one that unifies the new and existing parts of the building, and provides an improved sense of arrival,” O’DonnellBrown director Michael Dougall told Dezeen.
“Secondly, it provides a covered space which can be used by the adjoining cafe and as an external stage for performances,” he said.
In the extension is a multipurpose space for rehearsals, youth work and dance classes, fitted with suspended LED lighting.
When performances take place, the space can be used as a changing room with direct access to the stage – something users felt was lacking in the centre’s original layout.
Its position has improved the sequence of spaces while allowing the majority of internal partitions to remain in place.
In the main performance hall, bleachers have been added to create a flexible, auditorium-style space for a variety of community activities.
Alongside the theatre are social spaces including a cafe and bar, where a new window frames views of the neighbouring park.
A plywood reception desk and bar counter have also been added, finished in pink and purple hues in a nod to the Take A Bow brand identity.
Other additions to the building include spaces for meetings and workshops, which will extend to areas outside the performing arts, such as IT development, STEM classes and holiday clubs.
The original concrete blockwork of the building required updating due to problems with rising damp, asbestos and inadequate insulation.
A new layer of wall insulation has been added to improve the thermal performance, while a purple render has refreshed the ageing grey concrete exterior.
To further improve the building’s energy efficiency and reduce its operational energy and running costs, the studio developed a strategy with energy consultant Carbon Futures.
This led the studio to install air-source heat pumps and LED lighting, which it said has resulted in a 70 per cent reduction in the centre’s annual energy consumption and carbon emissions.
In the remainder of the building, a large proportion of the existing fabric has been revamped and retained.
“All existing windows which were not altered remained, and all existing floors and ironmongery were refurbished and retained,” Michael said. “We set out to retain as much of the existing building as possible.”
”The revitalised centre is now a welcoming, low-energy space that supports a wide range of social, cultural and educational activities,” concluded Dougall.
O’DonnellBrown is an architecture studio that was founded in Glasgow in 2013 by Jennifer O’Donnell and Sam Brown. Its other projects recently featured on Dezeen include an outdoor shelter for an arts centre in Edinburgh and a pavilion in a Scottish park made from recycled materials.
The photography is by David Barbour.
**Project credits:**
**Architect:** O’DonnellBrown\
**Structural engineer:** David Narro Associates\
**Services engineer:** Hawthorne Boyle\
**Quantity surveyor:** Armour Construction Consultants\
**Energy consultant:** Carbon Futures\
**Building surveyor:** Kerr Baxter Associates
Scottish architecture studio O’DonnellBrown has overhauled and extended a 1970s community centre in Kilmarnock to create a performing arts hub for the charity organisation Take A Bow.
The studio has transformed the building into a versatile space for youth performance and development, while preserving and improving as much of the existing building fabric as possible.
O’DonnellBrown was commissioned by not-for-profit performing arts organisation Take A Bow in 2021. From the early design stages, the studio worked with the local community to tailor the space to their needs.
In response, the studio updated the building’s entrance and exterior appearance, improved the existing auditorium and repositioned the changing rooms.
Marking the transformation, a glued-laminated (glulam) timber colonnade was added along the south elevation, with the existing car park relocated to the rear of the building.
“Its primary function is to create a new frontage, one that unifies the new and existing parts of the building, and provides an improved sense of arrival,” O’DonnellBrown director Michael Dougall told Dezeen.
“Secondly, it provides a covered space which can be used by the adjoining cafe and as an external stage for performances,” he said.
In the extension is a multipurpose space for rehearsals, youth work and dance classes, fitted with suspended LED lighting.
When performances take place, the space can be used as a changing room with direct access to the stage – something users felt was lacking in the centre’s original layout.
Its position has improved the sequence of spaces while allowing the majority of internal partitions to remain in place.
In the main performance hall, bleachers have been added to create a flexible, auditorium-style space for a variety of community activities.
Alongside the theatre are social spaces including a cafe and bar, where a new window frames views of the neighbouring park.
A plywood reception desk and bar counter have also been added, finished in pink and purple hues in a nod to the Take A Bow brand identity.
Other additions to the building include spaces for meetings and workshops, which will extend to areas outside the performing arts, such as IT development, STEM classes and holiday clubs.
The original concrete blockwork of the building required updating due to problems with rising damp, asbestos and inadequate insulation.
A new layer of wall insulation has been added to improve the thermal performance, while a purple render has refreshed the ageing grey concrete exterior.
To further improve the building’s energy efficiency and reduce its operational energy and running costs, the studio developed a strategy with energy consultant Carbon Futures.
This led the studio to install air-source heat pumps and LED lighting, which it said has resulted in a 70 per cent reduction in the centre’s annual energy consumption and carbon emissions.
In the remainder of the building, a large proportion of the existing fabric has been revamped and retained.
“All existing windows which were not altered remained, and all existing floors and ironmongery were refurbished and retained,” Michael said. “We set out to retain as much of the existing building as possible.”
“The revitalised centre is now a welcoming, low-energy space that supports a wide range of social, cultural and educational activities,” concluded Dougall.
O’DonnellBrown is an architecture studio that was founded in Glasgow in 2013 by Jennifer O’Donnell and Sam Brown. Its other projects recently featured on Dezeen include an outdoor shelter for an arts centre in Edinburgh and a pavilion in a Scottish park made from recycled materials.
The photography is by David Barbour.
Project credits:
Architect: O’DonnellBrown
Structural engineer: David Narro Associates
Services engineer: Hawthorne Boyle
Quantity surveyor: Armour Construction Consultants
Energy consultant: Carbon Futures
Building surveyor: Kerr Baxter Associates
