Radical architecture reverses the procedure of traditional urbanism and architecture: it assumes utopia as the departing point of the work and develops it realistically.
Andrea Branzi
After 25 years in Huntly, Deveron Projects is re-making a home-from-home for interns and artists; a civic space for regular events; a crafted garden for art and ecology; and an active presence in Huntly town square. Since 2019, Deveron Projects has been working alongside Aberdeenshire-based architect Jill Andrews, quantity surveyor John Pascoe, and social architect-designers Drassana to ask what can we make of this place.
A much loved heritage building, Square Deal has a prominent place in Huntly's workshop and retail history over the past 200 years – from the town’s tin smith, to a bank, and most recently a small department store/chemist. Taking this rich past, the project seeks to draw together the future story of the space with its history, whilst helping to rethink the town centre experience and regeneration.
Ester Gisbert Alemany and Alfonso M. Cuadrado come from Alicante, Spain, where they have established 'The Common People's Architect Office'. Through this they offer an affordable design service for those that would normally choose to not hire an architect. ‘Drassana’ have now brought the tools of their people orientated approach to Huntly, to participate in the remaking of the former 'Square Deal' shop and residencies.
How can we design and collectively build a living room for everybody in Huntly that becomes a family friendly reference in the world of art? How can we build a greener space for the town – an ecosystem that invites Huntly's people to an alternative world of art and creativity? How can we design a building that attracts visitors and locals to learn and experience Huntly’s town centre and built heritage?
The project's aim is to build a place that can act as both a space for the local community and for an international creative community – a space to host events or even incubate community businesses. ‘Drassana’ intend to design atmospheres that capture and continue the stories of previous relationships between the building, the people and the things that have previously populated Square Deal. For this, they gathered local information about Huntly’s shop history, the Square Deal and the Square and we would welcome people to get in touch with stories to tell!
