Katie Ambler

For centuries, Dewsbury has been an important area within West Yorkshire, however in recent decades the town has fallen into a rapid decline - now residing ‘among the 10% most deprived towns in England’.

However, due to the maintained use of the industrial buildings, a great disconnect has formed between the communities and the town centre, due to the industrial belt sitting between the two.. As well as this, decades of industry in and around the town has led to high levels of pollution in the river and the soil.

Myco – Mills provided a unique design opportunity, of redeveloping an early 20th century mill complex into a contemporary industry-community-hybrid space, whilst maintaining many of the former mills and the businesses that reside within them.

This scheme, using the mycelium industry as a driver, aims to create a community space that will enrich the lives of the local people, enhance local businesses and provide valuable research and insights into mycelium composite materials and their uses in the architecture and design industry.

Myco - Mills aims to provide the further, high profile research needed within the industry to push mycelium composites into the mainstream in architecture and the design fields - all whilst creating a new industry for Dewsbury.