A YOUNG architect from Teemore is playing a leading role in ambitious plans to redevelop an iconic building in the heart of England.

Damien Curry (28), who is currently working in practice in London, is the main design architect on Panter Hudspith’s proposals to restore and regenerate the prestigious Wedgwood Institute, a Grade II* listed building in the town of Burslem in Stoke-on-Trent.

The award-winning London-based firm has been appointed to lead the design team to revitalise the famous building after winning an open competition organised by the Prince’s Regeneration Trust (PRT) and the United Kingdom Historic Buildings Preservation Trust (UKHBPT).

Panter Hudspith’s winning submission was one of five shortlisted entries and was chosen after a tender process.

Speaking to the Impartial Reporter this week, Mr Curry said he was “delighted” that his design had won the competition for his practice.

He said: “On visiting home recently I was taken by all the ‘Brexit’ talk and especially what it will mean for local industries.

“Back in England, one of the main reasons put forward to explain the result is the continuing polarisation of the north and south of the country. More precisely, the less well-off former industrial north and the affluent south whose economy is based around banking and finance.

“At the architectural practice in which I work, although based in London, we hold a whole country approach to design and development. Currently we are very interested in breaking this trend of de-industrialisation of less well-off areas outside the capital.

“It was because of this interest that we entered a prestigious open competition organised by the Prince’s Regeneration Trust. Working as the main design architect, we came up with a proposal to redevelop an amazing building in the heart of industrial Britain - the potteries of Stoke-on-Trent.”

The former pupil of St. Mary’s in Teemore and St. Michael’s in Enniskillen, whose parents Frank and Edel still live in Fermanagh, said he was always interested in the technical aspects of building as a child.

He said:

“I then developed a love of art under Mr. and Mrs. Donnelly at St. Michael’s. A family holiday to Florence, Italy in my early teens and seeing Brunelleschi’s duomo and visiting the Uffizzi gallery with my dad sealed the deal for me quite early.

“Also the many visits to Fermanagh’s great 18th century stately homes with my mum gave me a sense of scale and proportion.”

He obtained his Masters Degree at the Scott Sutherland School of Architecture, Aberdeen, which took five years of study.

The Teemore native, who now lives in Islington, finished his last year of studies at the University of Westminster in 2014 before joining Panter Hudspith Architects in London Bridge.

In his first year with the practice, he worked on the Crouch End Picturehouse, a new art house cinema in north London.

Mr Curry said:

“This was an interesting project as it reused the existing concrete frame of an old 1950s factory in a built up urban environment and turned it into a five-screen state of the art cinema complete with bar, restaurant and community room.”

He added: “This project won the practice the Architect of the Year 2016 (leisure) award, which we were delighted about.”

The new Wedgwood Institute will look to emulate the original’s unique combination of housing the arts and sciences within one building to form a vibrant business hub of between 20 and 25 businesses.

The creation of up to 150 jobs on site is seen as a catalyst for the larger regeneration of the Burslem and Stoke-on-Trent area.

The design team’s plans will go on display as part of a public consultation this summer ahead of a planning application to Stoke City Council later this year.

Mark Panter, partner at Panter Hudspith Architects, said: “I am delighted that the practice has been given the opportunity to work on such an important and richly historic building.

“The Wedgwood is a fine structure of national importance and our proposal for the building’s sensitive and holistic regeneration will ensure it has a sustainable future for generations to come,” he concluded.