The Proposed Youth Hub is an ambitious venture for the benefit of the young people and larger Community of Thame. Thame Youth Projects Group expect the excellent design to be innovative and an “icon” of our care for the young people of Thame.

Oxford Architects response to this brief was to propose a 900sqm single storey building incorporating a wing for sports changing and equipment storage and a main multi-use building housing two flexible activity rooms, a music room and recording studio, meeting rooms, a teaching kitchen, kitchen, cloakroom facilities and outdoor seating area. Improvments to the other outdoor areas included providing additional bicycle and car parking with EV charging points, designated blue badge bays and the creation of a new forecourt.

OAs design approach looked to address issues of context, use and design flexibility to produce a robust scheme that would fulfill and even exceed the aspirations of the Thame Youth Projects Group.

• Maintain the familiarity of the existing location
• Utilise a single storey building, set at Recreation Ground level, below the Southern Road tree line and embankment, minimising visual intrusion
• Enhance the public play area and car park, opening
  access and views to both, adding additional facilities
  for Thame Scout Group
• New forecourt area creating opportunities for small events/functions to be held outside
• Maximise orientation of new building, to benefit from natural lighting, ventilation and views to main activity areas
• Provide improvements to walking connections into Recreation Ground and from Car Park to Nature Reserve
• Creation of separate wings; sports wing and multi-use/other functions wing. Provides facilities within the building that can be partially or fully opened depending on demand