O’DonnellBrown has completed a highly efficient, low-carbon retrofit of the New Farm Loch Community Centre in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, Scotland. With a reputation for creating socially responsible, community-driven architecture, the Glasgow-based studio has transformed a dated 1970s building into a modern performing arts and community hub for Take A Bow, a charitable organisation specialising in performing arts, community, and youth development.

The project reimagines a dated blockwork structure as a vibrant, user-led resource for East Ayrshire’s creative community. The building now provides a welcoming base for Take A Bow as well as other local groups and programmes.

Regeneration through reuse

When Take A Bow Development Trust acquired the building in 2019, it was in poor condition. Suffering from damp, asbestos, roof leaks, and inadequate insulation, the centre was not fit for purpose. As a performing arts venue, it lacked suitable changing spaces close to the stage and the concrete exterior felt disconnected from its setting beside a newly regenerated housing estate and adjacent park.

O’DonnellBrown was appointed in 2021 for its experience in adaptive reuse. Following a feasibility study, the design evolved through a community engagement process, ensuring that the refurbished centre reflects local needs while maximising reuse of the existing structure and minimising embodied carbon.

A renewed identity

The building’s fresh identity is expressed through a timber colonnade that wraps a new changing room area and leads to the main performance space. The glulam structure creates a sheltered entrance and a sense of arrival. With the car park relocated to the rear, the colonnade opens onto a landscaped forecourt that connects the centre to the park — it can host outdoor events, including Take A Bow’s annual summer festival.

Externally, the building has been upgraded with new wall insulation and a rendered finish that improves energy performance and gives the formerly grey structure a lighter, contemporary presence. The facade incorporates Take A Bow’s branding colours and graphics, reinforcing its identity within the community.

Inside, the ground floor has been reconfigured for a clearer flow from entrance to bar and performance hall. A new studio and changing space, the McManus Suite — named after John McManus, Chair of Take A Bow Development Trust — provides performers with dedicated facilities. A window to the bar area opens views to the park, while a new plywood reception and bar counter, accented in Take A Bow’s colours, add warmth and a sense of welcome.

The main hall’s flexible bleacher seating allows it to be used for performances, workshops, or community events. Additional rooms provide space for meetings, classes, and youth programmes, broadening the centre’s role beyond the performing arts to include holiday clubs, intergenerational gatherings, and community meals.

“Working alongside a passionate client team, we’ve reimagined a 1970s building through an energy-focused retrofit that prioritises sustainability, comfort, and long-term value,” says Michael Dougall, Director, O’DonnellBrown. “The revitalised centre is now a welcoming, low-energy space that supports a wide range of social, cultural and educational activities. It stands as a beacon of what meaningful investment in existing infrastructure can deliver – not only in terms of environmental performance but also in empowering the communities they serve.”

Reducing energy and carbon

In line with Take A Bow’s net-zero ambitions, O’DonnellBrown worked with Scottish energy and sustainability consultancy Carbon Futures to minimise the building’s whole-life carbon impact. The retrofit integrates wall, roof, and floor insulation, air source heat pumps, and LED lighting. Within the constraints of a 50-year-old structure and limited budget, the scheme achieves a 70 percent reduction in energy use, meeting the UK Green Building Council’s framework targets for operational energy.

A model for community-led, low-carbon renewal

The retrofit of New Farm Loch Community Centre exemplifies a fabric-first, reuse-led approach to decarbonisation. Through minimal intervention, efficient systems, and community collaboration, O’DonnellBrown has delivered a building that meets net-zero performance standards, celebrates material circularity, and strengthens the social infrastructure of Kilmarnock. The reopening of the centre marks a new beginning for Take A Bow and for the community it serves, reaffirming the way in which a sensitive, sustainable retrofit can extend the life and relevance of older buildings.