fusing heritage and hope in Blackburn


John Puttick Associates has completed the transformative  a historic Victorian power station, reimagining it into   in Blackburn...


Situated at the heart of town, Fusebox symbolises a distinct and vibrant beacon for the town’s next generation. It houses purpose built facilities where local youth can gather, grow and thrive. The project integrates a wider landscape and masterplan, forming a key part of Blackburn’s broader community regeneration and social development efforts. Fusebox stems from John Puttick Associate’s longstanding involvement with Darwen Council, where the architects assisted Blackburn Youth Zone in applying for funding from the Department of Culture, Media & Sport’s Youth Investment Fund programme. Subsequently, the architects developed the design and implementation of Fusebox. This revival responds to an urgent local need for high quality youth provision, addressing both social impact and conservation of built heritage within the Blackburn town centre context. Commissioned under the Blackburn Electric Lighting Order in 1895, the existing buildings formed one of the earliest electricity generating power stations in the United Kingdom. The project scheme involved retrofitting of two main parts of the heritage building complex: an L-shaped former power station known as the ‘Fusebox’, and parts of the newer, existing youth zone built fifteen years ago. Rich in character, the disused building has been imaginatively adapted to cater for groups of older youths aged between 16 and 25.


Images: ©Gareth Gardner


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