What: A paper reviews how department stores could be repurposed in education centres in the heart of cities.

Why it is important: Without being as radical since this hypothesis carries the demise of department stores, having schools on the premises could be an interesting idea.

Dame Sharon White, head of John Lewis, has proposed a royal commission to address the decline in high street shops, highlighting over 6,000 UK store closures in the past five years due to factors like online consumerism, the pandemic, Brexit, and economic shifts. Given this context, innovative uses for the empty spaces left by department stores are being explored, particularly in further education.

A RIBA-led initiative has proposed repurposing department stores as educational hubs, particularly for further education. This concept is designed to cater to a diverse range of learners, including 16-19-year-olds and adult learners. The idea is to integrate these large, centrally-located spaces into the community as learning centers that provide accessible education and training opportunities.

Using Kendals in Manchester as a case study, the plan involves transforming these department stores into multi-storey learning environments. The ReStorED concept features curriculum areas that act as interactive 'shop windows', with facilities like theatres, studios, and digital spaces. This approach aims to create a mature learning environment conducive to training, re-skilling, and up-skilling, particularly for adult learners who might be hesitant to enter a traditional college campus.

The design focuses on experiential learning, connecting different curriculum areas to encourage interdisciplinary interaction, and includes features like climbing walls and indoor green spaces. Emphasis is placed on sustainable architecture, such as achieving Passive House standards and repurposing existing structures to reduce carbon footprint. Internally, flexible learning spaces are created using adaptable materials like Oriented Strand Board (OSB), and the exterior includes recreational spaces with renewable energy sources, sensory gardens, and allotments.

This venture challenges conventional norms around urban regeneration and the use of high street spaces, suggesting a transformation of traditional educational environments and integrating them into the revitalized town center landscape.

Could department stores have a new future by being educational centres?