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THE ANCHOR CENTRE
Project type
Individual Design Project
Date
May 2025
Location
Bristol, UK
The Anchor Centre rethinks addiction treatment by creating a space that balances introspection and community engagement. Located in St. Paul’s, Bristol—a vibrant yet struggling area—the project aims to reintegrate those battling addiction into society while providing a warm, safe environment.
At its heart lies a tranquil courtyard, a meditative retreat with dappled light filtering through birch trees onto textured lime plaster walls. This inward focus contrasts with the building’s outward expression: a dynamic façade of hemp fibre panels and cork boarding, blending contemporary innovation with
industrial heritage.
Programmatically, the centre transitions from private to public. Confidential consultation rooms lead to vibrant communal spaces, including a double-height performance hall and a café bridging both worlds. Material choices reflect the project’s ethos— compressed earth blocks, made from excavated site waste, ground the building in its context, while prefabricated hempcrete cassettes allow the structure to evolve alongside recovery and societal needs.
More than a treatment facility, The Anchor Centre acts as social infrastructure, healing individuals while restoring community bonds. By balancing seclusion and openness, it demonstrates how architecture can foster personal recovery and collective wellbeing, offering a new model for addiction care in Bristol.
