Helena Jenkinson

The concept of social justice is founded on the idea of fairness and the principles of equal rights and participation. Lawrence Hill is a Bristol neighbourhood known for its poor-quality public realm including isolated towers, dark narrow passageways, underpasses, and uneven crossings. The area has over three-hundred refugee and asylum-seeking women and their pre-school children, with one of the highest volumes of domestic abuse cases in Bristol and 3/4 of those being women. A dedicated safe place for these women to connect and receive counselling is vital for the area and women’s growth both mentally and physically. As a result, the area’s vitality is dependent on reviving this historic site and making it a safe and inclusive place for its residents.

The building’s brief was developed to engage with communities in need of inclusion and collaboration through a textiles programme. The goal is to providing women of all ages, backgrounds, religions, and ethnicities private access to workshops, counselling, and new skills, as well as a nursery. The International Textiles Centre for Women aims to tackle the ongoing social displacement of Lawrence Hill through a sensitive and inclusive design.

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The International Textiles Centre for Women