A winning design has been chosen for the £13m redevelopment of Preston Bus Station, as plans progress on making a 'destination' out of the 40-year old transport hub.
The Grade II listed site 'famed for its brutalist architecture' could now be transformed into a vibrant public space and the setting for a new youth club.
Brutally brilliant: Before
New York-based John Puttick Associates was selected from five shortlisted entries by both a public vote and representatives from the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), Lancashire CC and charity OnSide Youth Zones.
While the station will remain a functioning transport hub, introduction of flexible open space is expected to help it become a 'focal point' for community activities.
The plans come as part of the Preston, South Ribble and Lancashire City Deal, which aims to improve local transportation and provide a boost for the local economy.
Brutal deluxe: After
Almost 100 submissions were submitted for the redesign of the building, which was originally built in the late 1960s.
John Puttick, the architect behind the chosen design, said he was 'delighted' with the result and hoped to 'play a game of football on the roof once the project is complete'.
'The Preston Bus Station development is an important opportunity to create a destination that makes a genuine difference for both visitors and the local community,' Mr Puttick said.
'The three components of the project - the revitalisation of the modernist bus station, the new OnSide Youth Zone, and a large outdoor public space - offer a rich mixture of uses and the challenge of sensitively introducing contemporary design to the existing setting.'
Lancashire CC and Preston Youth Zone will now work with the architects to agree on a final design before a planning application is submitted later this year.
Jennifer Mein, leader of Lancashire CC, said: 'We always knew that the bus station had a global appeal, and the fact that the winning firm comes from New York reinforces this.
'This is a significant investment in one of Preston's most well-known buildings, which will bring exciting new facilities for our young people, for this generation and for future ones.'
Hugh Broughton, RIBA architect adviser, said the station was 'a hugely significant twentieth century building', with John Puttick's winning scheme expected to 'create a building which will be fun, safe and engaging to use while celebrating the original architecture of the bus station and providing flexible open space'.
