This project was developed as part of The Glasgow School of Art’s Winter School, bringing together students from Catalonia, China , Germany, India, Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Scotland, Slovakia, Spain and Taiwan with diverse cultural and design backgrounds.

Our group focused on the reactivation and adaptive use of St Laurence Parish Church in Forres. Rather than allowing the church to become a dominant space that limits connections between existing churches and residents, the project aims to provide an additional community space where residents can gather and participate in activities.

Our design proposes a seasonal programme of activities throughout the year. To reduce the costs and environmental impact associated with paper and ink printing, the programme uses erasable surfaces and QR codes, allowing both staff and residents to update activity information in real time. The colour palette is inspired by the church’s stained-glass windows, with acrylic elements used to distinguish the four seasons and individual months.

Through this approach, the project connects cultural identity, functionality, and inclusivity, creating a flexible community space that can continuously respond to the needs of local residents.

Client: St. Laurence Forres Trust (St Laurence Parish Church, Forres)

Collaborators: Chien Sheng Fei (GSA), Clarisse Jean Pierre Towler (GSA), Feng Xueying (GSA), Lovis Koepcke (KISD), Paola Batres (ITESM), Robin Tammer (ELISAVA), Simon Ondrášková (AFAD), Zhiu Yixuan (GSA)

Supervisors: Dr Scott Carballo (Lecturer, Future Heritage), Dr Liu Xinyue (Research Fellow, Rural Lab), Dr Zhao Chuan (Lecturer, Computational Design and Product Design)

Heritage Professional: Helen Avenell (St. Laurence Forres Trust)