GO Design's winning proposal for the Billy Taylor Challenge

GO Design, a London-based studio founded by architect Go Sugimoto, sent us their proposal for the Billy Taylor Challenge that they recently won.

The competition challenged participants to design a renovation plan for the former house of Billy Taylor, an influential mentor figure for the local youth community in Providence, Rhode Island. After his passing in 1987 at the age of 27, his house was abandoned until it was donated to the Billy Taylor Project.

GO Design's winning proposal will transform the house's second floor and yard into an educational, gathering space for the Providence community in honor of Billy Taylor.

Learn more about GO's Design below.

Project description:

"The proposed renovation for the new Billy Taylor House takes the original plans and cleans up the space with simple lines and divisions. Consolidating circulation and egress points, the aim is in maximising the efficiency and use of given space."

"The ground floor cafe and barber retail zones are lengthened to the extent of the plan, whilst maintaining storage and rear access. The cafe offers a variety of social settings in an open plan environment with large servery/ display area. The barber takes a similar linear approach and hopes to create a clinical, contemporary and textural space."

"The entrance to the upper levels is via a new side extension at the back. The extension is based on the proportions of the existing rear section, which essentially pushes out to create a double height entryway that leads to the first floor level."

"The first floor offers an open plan layout that integrates an outdoor terrace space for multi-functional use. The materiality of the floor offers continuity across inside/outside spaces. To the side are 3 equal multifunction rooms with folding walls to create larger rooms as necessary."

"At the mezzanine/attic level, there is a strong line workbench for hot-desking/workshops that looks outwards through the new skylights. Above the void are also new skylights bringing in an abundance of natural light to an airy, bright communal hub."

"Programmatically, the new space is about a social community.  The centre will act as a learning, working hub that encourages youth development and entrepreneurship through courses and workshops, as well as offering spaces and desks for start-ups. Enclosed spaces can be utilised as meeting rooms, classrooms, yoga rooms, and private hire functions.  The idea of the space is to be designed as flexible and diverse as possible."

Images via go-design.co.