You’d be hard pressed to find a British brutalist icon outside London that is as instantly recognisable as Preston Bus Station. The project, originally completed in 1969 to a design by BDP, is Grade-II listed, but was in need of a refresh; enter John Puttick Associates who won an open competition for its prestious restoration work in 2015. Now, the concrete icon has just been relaunched after its thorough facelift by the young London-based practice.
The architects maintained the building’s iconic linearity and strong geometries, by carefully restoring its existing fabric. Its features were lovingly returned to their original material and colour palette, while the interior was cleaned and opened up. The entry points were consolidated into a single, flowing entrance hall, emphasising pedestrian functions – as opposed to the structure’s original focus on vehicle use – to bring the space into the 21st century.
Some of the concourse level glazing was replaced and the timber framed doors on the ground floor facade have been swapped with bronze coloured anodised-aluminium framed automated doors, but all works were done with respect to the original design intention and in consultation with field specialists. ‘The Twentieth Century Society has been involved in detailed consultations with the design team to ensure a secure future for the listed Preston Bus Station’, says the organisation’s senior concervation adviser, Claire Price. ‘The Society commends the team’s attention to detail in the Bus Station refurbishment and careful consideration of the impact of the new Youth Zone on the setting of the listed building.’
Restored to its former glory, the building will now be fully operational. The next step in the area’s wider regeneration – of which the bus station’s works are part – is the completion of the adjacent plaza, which is currently scheduled for 2019. In anticipation of this new public focal point, John Purrick and his team orientated external seating at the station towards the nearby open spaces. A new build 2600 sq m Youth Zone community building, also by John Puttick Associates, is also due to be delivered next year.
‘It has been a privilege to work on a project that celebrates passenger experience in the way Preston Bus Station did when it opened’, says Puttick. ‘Its scale and monumentality are well known but inside the building one appreciates the way it welcomed people. Our goal has been to bring back the clarity of movement achieved in the original design, as well as the sensitive details which impart a human scale to the building. These qualities are tangible even when the Station is at its busiest, making it a dignified place to be.’
The structure is not only an instantly recognisable local landmark, but also a celebrated Grade II listed Brutalist building.
The original design was by BDP, with works completing in 1969.
Now, the architects worked on carefully returning the building's features to their original material and colour palette.
In keeping with modern needs, the space was redesigned with an emphasis on pedestrian use.
Inside, the space was opened and cleaned up, and entry points were consolidated into a main entrance hall.
The architects also restored the exterior and orientated external seating towards the adjacent plaza, which will be completed in 2019.
INFORMATION
For more information visit the website of John Puttick Associates
-
Introducing Wallpaper* April 2025, the Global Interiors issueOpening the door to standout design, interiors and architecture across five continents, from homes to workspaces – find the April issue on newsstands now
-
MWC 2025: 6 of the best conceptual phone designs and future facing techBarcelona’s Mobile World Congress has become the phone industry’s major hotspot for launches and new technology. Here are six of the best conceptual designs from this year's event
-
Walk through an Indian villa near Mumbai, where time slows downIn this Indian villa, Architecture Brio weaves together water features, stunning gardens and graceful compositions to create a serene retreat near Mumbai
-
China’s Leapmotor pounces on the European car market with its T03 city car and C10 SUVLeapmotor’s tiny electric city car could be just the tonic for cramped urban Europe. We sample the T03 and its new sibling, the fully loaded C10 SUV, to see if the company’s value proposition stacks up
-
We make off with a MOKE and experience the cult EV on the sunny backroads of SurreyMOKE is a cult car with a bright future. Wallpaper* sat down with the company's new CEO Nick English to discuss his future plans for this very British beach machine
-
Meet the Alvis continuation series – a storied name in British motoring history is backThe Alvis name is more than a century old yet you can still order a factory-fresh model from its impressive back catalogue, thanks to the survival of its unique archive
-
Hongqi’s Giles Taylor on the Chinese car maker's imminent arrival in the UKHongqi makes China's state limousines. By 2026, it'll have a pair of premium EVs on UK roads. Giles Taylor, its VP of design, tells us about its design approach, and ambition in Europe
-
British sports car builder Caterham teams up with the RAF to create this bespoke machineHelicopter parts are repurposed for the bodywork of this Caterham Seven 360R, built in collaboration with RAF Benson
-
Will this UK company secure the future of classic cars?Everrati, a specialist UK engineering firm hailing from the rolling hills of the Cotswolds in the UK, thinks it holds the key to classic car electrification
-
Brutalist bus terminal redesigned in the Czech RepublicThe architecture of the landmark brutalist bus terminal of Zvonarka Central in Brno, Czech Republic, has been given a refresh by architects CHYBIK + KRISTOF
-
UNStudio's Doha Metro Network scheme is a nexus of ideasA new metro network system for Doha, designed by UNStudio, secures a bespoke infrastructure package for the city's present and future, as well as a platform for public life
