Vennie Architecture Notes

Date 5 April 2016

Event ID 1009520

Category Documentary Reference

Type Reference

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1009520

Scotland's Urban Past (SUP)

The ‘Vennie’ (venture) is the local name for the Knightsridge Adventure Project and Youth Club in Livingston, West Lothian. The facilities comprise a Clubhouse, Skate-park, Play park and a Community garden located close by.

The original youth club was developed by the Livingston Development Corporation from 1963 until 1993 when it was taken over by West Lothian Council.

The clubhouse itself is a single storey, brick built structure with a twin pitched, ridged roof. Externally there is colourful artistic graffiti, particularly on the E side facing the play park, which is typically transient.

The present building probably dates from the mid 1960s / early 1970s and has been modified internally over time, with the provision of a new corrugated roof in the 1990s.

The Skate-park was opened in 2013 and was designed in collaboration with local architects, contractors and the local youth group who submitted their own vision by way of annotated drawings to the architects to help inform the final design.

In 2014 the Knightsridge Adventure Project collaborated with the Scotland’s Urban Past Project to make a film about the process and outcomes on how the construction of the Skate-park became a reality, adding benefit and significance to their understanding of the local ‘Built Environment’. The resulting film features young people relating their experience and footage of them performing on the ‘Skatey’ itself.

The plans of the Skate-park accompanying this record entry show early conceptions and the final scheme designed by KOMPAN Scotland Ltd.

Information collated and submitted by SUP