Empty Churchill Square shop transformed into community meeting space by Brighton students

Students from University of Brighton are working in partnership with Ingka Centres and IKEA Brighton to transform an empty retail unit into a public community space and exhibition, exploring how consumer spaces could better serve local communities.

The students, studying Interior Design MA, have designed five interactive spaces. Each space will showcase how retail environments can evolve beyond shops to become places for creativity, learning, culture and connection.

The exhibition, open to the public from 22–29 May (closed Monday 25th), comes at a time when the role of the British high street is rapidly changing.

More than 122,000 physical shops closed between 2017 and late 2025 and the UK lost 83% of its department stores over a five-year period between 2016 – 2021. This included approximately 37 shops closing every day in 2024 alone - raising growing questions about how empty retail spaces can be used differently.

This project will also draw on Brighton’s unique character, using the city’s diversity, creativity and strong sense of local identity as a starting point for design. Students have been asked to root their ideas in the social fabric of the city and the communities that live there.

Visitors to the exhibition will be able to explore five student-designed spaces:

• Fierce Armor by Chase Mueller – a creative space inspired by drag culture, exploring self-expression, costume and performance.

• Pulsewidth by Olivia Turner – a listening space designed for people to slow down and experience music in an immersive way.

• Slow Couture by Manel Seghouane – a workshop space focused on repairing, remaking and extending the life of clothing.

• Meet & Speak by Amel Laouida – a welcoming social space designed to help people practise language and connect across cultures.

• The Story Space by Yi Xu – a space for sharing stories and experiences, bringing people together through conversation and memory.

Course leader Damon Taylor said the project reflects a wider shift in how shopping environments are being understood.

He said: “Shopping centres have traditionally been about consumption, but that model is changing. This project asks students to think about what happens when you design for people first – for their interests, their cultures, and the ways they actually live. It’s about creating spaces that feel like they belong to someone.”

“For the students, working on a live project like this provides a rare opportunity to move beyond theoretical studio work and into real-world application. They are developing and testing ideas in a functioning retail environment, working alongside industry partners, and seeing how design decisions play out in a public environment. It gives them valuable experience in collaboration, problem-solving and communicating ideas at scale – all of which are essential for professional practice after graduation.”

Alongside the installations, visitors will also be able to see the design process behind the work, including early sketches, models and research, offering an insight into how ideas develop into full-scale spaces.

The exhibition will also feature work exploring Churchill Square as a site, connecting the students’ future-focused ideas with the changing story of Brighton’s town centre.

Karina Gilpin, Market Manager at IKEA Brighton, said: “At IKEA, we believe good design should help create a better everyday life for the many people, and this partnership has been a brilliant example of that in action. We’ve loved being able to give some of our Reshop and Reuse products a beautiful new home within the exhibition, showing how furniture and materials can be reused creatively while helping bring these ideas to life.”

Dan Kane, Loyalty Specialist at IKEA Brighton, said: “We’ve been really impressed by what the students have created. They’ve captured Brighton’s creativity and community spirit, transforming an empty retail unit into a vibrant third space where locals and visitors can come together, connect and support one another. We hope visitors leave feeling inspired, whether they end up trying drag, sharing a story, listening to music, mending clothing or even learning a new language.”

Mark Buchanan-Smith, Meeting Place Manager at Churchill Square, said: "This collaboration with University of Brighton students perfectly demonstrates the evolution we're championing at Churchill Square – from a traditional shopping centre to a dynamic Meeting Place for the community. We're committed to reimagining how our spaces serve local people, creating environments where they can not only shop, but connect, learn, and spend meaningful time together. Projects like this show the potential of transforming retail space into places that genuinely enrich community life. It's an exciting time for Churchill Square as we continue to attract innovative partnerships with teams who share our vision of building a Meeting Place for the many people of Brighton."

For the University of Brighton, the project reflects its emphasis on live, practice-based learning and collaboration with industry partners. Working in an active retail environment gives students the opportunity to test ideas at full scale, in public, and in real time.

The exhibition is open to the public at Churchill Square (Unit 36) from 22–29 May 2026 (closed Monday), 11am–5pm, next to Schuh.