Protest Fusion
This project proposes a retrofit and extension to the Working Class Movement Library, reimagining it as a more open civic space for heritage, activism, and public engagement. The proposal explores the cultural significance of the site, uncovering lost histories such as the Bury Bolton Canal, and considers how these stories can be reinterpreted for a wider community.
Rooted in working-class struggle, protest, and collective action, the project uses architecture to reinforce the continued relevance of activism, particularly for younger generations. Three activist themes shape the design: fast fashion, war, and AI digitalisation. Each theme has personal significance, connecting to previous design research, dissertation work on artificial intelligence, and the direct impact of the war in Ukraine.
These themes are translated into distinct spatial experiences. The art gallery explores war through the oldest book in the WCML collection, tracing conflicts since 1671. Recorded death tolls are categorised and transformed into a spatial system that informs the gallery’s form, scale, and atmosphere.
AI digitalisation shapes the enclosed visitor journey. This sequence imagines data being collected, processed, and transformed into humanoid robots within the attic event space, warning against digital surveillance and invisible data extraction.
The proposal also creates a dialogue between old and new fabric. An entrance stair wraps around a retained chimney, allowing visitors to engage with historic material without damaging it. Pneumatic tubes introduce a future library system, transporting books between the extension and the existing building to reduce structural load.
Overall, the project transforms the Working Class Movement Library into a place where heritage, activism, archive, landscape, and future change can coexist.
Connect with Andrii
Email: andriilabachuk@gmail.com