Market Place is the reimagining of an existing market square in the historic town of Prescot into a new public social space and cafe for Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council.
The building and square are designed as public focal points for the town, connecting the old town to its Jacobian church and churchyard, and to the Shakespeare North Playhouse to the north.
The project includes: the cafe building, a bandstand canopy marking the square’s entrance, curved seating bays and a stone stair connecting to the 14th century church.
The cafe building re-uses an existing 1960’s concrete structure which is faced in curved mersey grit stone, a local stone used throughout the town which has a soft pink hue.
The project reached the final shortlist of the RIBA Market Place competition.
Client: Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council / RIBA Competitions
Architect: New Makers Bureau with Periscope
Engineer: Civic
Quantity surveyor: Simon Fenton Partnership
Type: Culture
Area: 950m2 (inc. public realm)