Eyemouth Pavilions – Community Centre by Galmstrup Architects

Located in the historic fishing town of Eyemouth, United Kingdom, the Eyemouth Pavilions Community Centre by Galmstrup Architects stands as a new civic anchor aimed at revitalizing the town’s harborfront and fostering sustainable urban regeneration. Completed in 2023, this 1,100 m² project is the first phase of a broader regeneration vision and offers an innovative approach to public architecture rooted in local heritage and forward-thinking design.

Context and Vision

The project site, known locally as the "Old Fishmarket," occupies a prominent waterfront location in the conservation area of Eyemouth. Galmstrup Architects, inspired by the authenticity of the working harbor and the town's transition towards a sustainable marine economy, envisioned a modular solution that enhances public engagement and economic development. The design avoids a single massive structure and instead introduces a series of interconnected pavilions interwoven with civic gardens and public spaces, creating an open and accessible urban fabric.

Architectural Form and Materiality

Paying homage to Eyemouth's maritime and boatmaking traditions, the pavilions feature curved zinc roofs that reinterpret traditional gabled coastal houses. The buildings are constructed using sustainable Cross Laminated Timber (CLT), supported by glulam beams and steel columns, ensuring structural integrity and environmental responsibility. The facades blend a ship-lap timber profile on the upper level with high-performance insulation and acoustic regulation, achieving a low-energy, carbon-conscious construction.

Large glazed openings provide abundant natural daylight and create a visual and spatial connection between the interiors and the surrounding harbor views. The entire project is naturally ventilated, reducing the need for mechanical systems and reinforcing its eco-conscious footprint.

Program and Function

The Eyemouth Pavilions serve dual purposes. The ground floor of each structure accommodates winter gardens and flexible community spaces, while the upper floors host self-contained studios designed for start-up entrepreneurs. This programmatic mix promotes social inclusion and economic empowerment, encouraging local entrepreneurship within a supportive environment.

Externally, the project extends into a new public promenade linking the natural harbor to the seafront and the high street, seamlessly integrating urban flow. Interspersed between the pavilions are Sea Gardens—production gardens co-designed with local high school students during the construction phase. Now maintained by Eyemouth's enhancement group, these gardens are a testament to community involvement and long-term stewardship.

Client and Community Collaboration

The Eyemouth Harbour Trust, the project’s client, envisioned the development as a catalyst for sustainable economic growth and community resilience. Donald Duggan, Chairman of the Trust, praised the project's collaborative process and its sensitivity to the harbor’s historic and urban context. CEO Christine Bell noted the early popularity of the new space and its potential to become a landmark of civic pride and social cohesion.

Galmstrup Architects emphasized their urban strategy to extend beyond the immediate site, advocating for open views and multifunctional public zones that reconnect the seafront with the town center. Director Anne Mare Galmstrup described the project as a model for inclusive civic architecture, aimed not only at meeting functional needs but also at inspiring active citizenship.

All the photographs are works of Nick Kane