The Exchange was a 17 acre town centre regeneration scheme. We were selected through a two-stage national competition and were chosen as one of five finalists to develop our concept in detail together with a financial bid. The site was situated directly to the north of Swindon’s main retail centre and was envisaged as a sustainable new town quarter providing a central business district and an extension to the retail core.

Our vision for the Exchange focused on re-establishing the urban grid and city grain, together with reconnecting the site to the surrounding streets. A series of major new public spaces would form a new ‘heart’ for the town centre and provide a focus for civic renaissance.

Sustainability was at the core of the design, covering transport, ecology, place-making, recycling and climate change. A combination of renewable energy technologies, including a district heating/cooling system were to be incorporated to achieve this goal.