Buttermarket Redruth

Architect: Thread
Location: Redruth, Cornwall
Type: Community, Market, Restoration
Year: 2025
Photographs: Claire Fear

The following description is courtesy of the designers. Thread has designed and delivered the transformative regeneration of a historic market site in Redruth, Cornwall. The works breathe new life into Buttermarket, a historic town-square-style site, preserving its character while creating a welcoming community space for artists, food entrepreneurs, and the local community.

Located in Redruth, Buttermarket comprises five Grade II-listed buildings surrounding a large central courtyard. Originally established in 1825 as a place for agricultural sellers and market stalls, layers of extensions and additions obscured the Buttermarket’s architectural character over time and the site had fallen into significant disrepair.

The clients – Redruth Revival CIC – acquired the property in 2017 to safeguard its cultural significance and potential to be restored as a vibrant community hub for arts, culture and local business. In 2019, The Architectural Heritage Fund supported Redruth Revival with a Project Viability grant of £6,919 to undertake a feasibility study, and in 2021, a Project Development Grant of £59,850 was awarded from the Transforming Places Through Heritage scheme, helping to fund professional fees to progress the project through RIBA Stage 4. 

Won through an open competition, Thread’s concept prioritised minimal intervention, carefully uncovering and retaining original elements rather than resorting to unnecessary demolition. A key intervention was the removal of 1970s mining-exchange extensions to reopen the central courtyard, revealing the original arches and improving flow and visibility throughout the site. The project now delivers 100% level access across all floors and facilities, promoting inclusivity for all visitors.

The revitalised Buttermarket now introduces a new ground-floor courtyard extension, housing a food hall with communal seating areas and promoting community engagement. It accommodates six kitchens, a coffee unit, and a bar, while the first floor features artist studios, an independent gallery, and a community radio station. Buttermarket plays an integral role in supporting small enterprises in the Cornish region, offering competitive rents and space for local businesses to test concepts in a safe and well patronised area.

Sustainability and materiality play a key role in supporting Buttermarket’s revival. A shining example of reuse and creative ingenuity was the development of 700 recycled glass shingles, which clad the internal courtyard extension façade. The shingles were handmade from 1.5 tonnes or nearly 3500 repurposed wine bottles. Originally, Thread explored using recycled plastics, but fire safety concerns led them to seek alternatives. Thread worked with specialist glass designer Dr. Tyra Oseng-Rees to develop a durable, low-carbon material that is playful, translucent and textured, complementing the historic building fabric. The bottles were ground down, shaped, and refired, resulting in crystalline structures that behave materially similarly to ceramic tiles, allowing them to be easily fitted by contractors with grommet-like washers.

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The recycled glass shingles required less water and a fifth of the carbon to produce compared to traditional float glass. Remarkably, the kiln operated for 87 days continuously at a reduced temperature, further minimising the overall carbon footprint. Dr. Oseng-Rees and Thread worked closely to test the shingles for freeze-thaw durability, and the tiles were treated with a hydrophobic coating to prevent water from becoming trapped and causing biological plant growth, ensuring longevity in the exposed setting. 

Reclaimed materials dominate the project’s warm yet inventive material palette. Bricks salvaged from a demolished Cornish-mining chimney nearby were repurposed to create the curved wall of the new cafe. Three cast-iron columns, reclaimed from different project sites, now serve as structural supports for the new façade, while additional granite columns were sourced by the client from Facebook marketplace to complete the colonnade. Existing arch-headed timber window frames were restored and reused to conserve the embodied energy and craftsmanship of the original structure.

Thread tackled the challenge of achieving a historic covered market that complied with modern Building Regulations by creating a bespoke heating strategy where the dining seating area is a large draft lobby between the exterior and insulated internal areas of the building. This allowed the architects to retain exposed historic fabric and reduce the ongoing energy demands while the building was in use.

Since its reopening, Buttermarket has attracted over 19,000 visitors, drawing significant public interest and generating positive feedback. The Buttermarket’s transformation positions it as a cornerstone of the local community, demonstrating how thoughtful, community-led regeneration can drive economic growth, create jobs, and restore local pride. Research indicates that public investment in infrastructure can lead to substantial long-term economic benefits, such as a consistent 1% increase in public investment raising potential output by 0.5% after five years and by 2.5% in the long run. This aligns with the broader impact seen in similar projects funded by initiatives like the Levelling Up Fund, supporting regeneration efforts in regional areas.

Thread’s work at Buttermarket proves the power of adaptive reuse, demonstrating how historic sites can be reimagined as thriving contemporary spaces and have a great impact on regional communities. The project respects the past while embracing the future, ensuring that the Buttermarket remains an important part of Cornwall’s cultural and social fabric.

Thread’s continuous drive to collaborate with clients has resulted in a project steeped in craftsmanship. This commitment has been recognised at the 2025 Surface Design Awards, with Thread and Dr. Oseng-Rees winning ‘Surface of the Year Exterior’ for the Buttermarket’s recycled glass shingle façade.

Claire Fear, Founding Director and Architect at Thread, said:

“Our ultimate goal was to contribute to Redruth’s wider regeneration while preserving the historic integrity of Buttermarket. In particular, we sought to honor the local tradition of reuse, carefully selecting recycled and reclaimed materials to create inviting spaces that foster human connection and are welcoming to all people”

Ross Williams, Director at Redruth Revival CIC, said:

“The Buttermarket has been in the works for several years, and now to see it as a thriving hub for the local community makes me immensely proud. Thread worked tirelessly with our local community to realise this project, contributing their expertise to create a place that celebrates our town very well.”

Project Details

• Location: Redruth, Cornwall
• Local authority: Cornwall Council
• Start on site: January 2023
• Completion date: January 2025
• Gross internal floor area GF: 434 square metres / FF: 400 square metres
• Site area: 800 square metres
• Construction cost per m2: Approx £4,000 per square metre

Project Team

• Architect: Thread
  • Project team: Claire Fear, Jen Boddington
• Client: Redruth Revival CIC
• Executive architect: Claire Fear, Jen Boddington
• Structural engineer: Paul Carpenter Associates
• M&E consultant: Method
• Quantity Surveyor: Trevor Humphreys Associates
• Project manager: Trevor Humphreys Associates
• Principal designer: CHPK
• Approved building inspector: Cornwall Council Building Control
• Main contractor: Jewell Construction
• Cost consultant: Trevor Humphreys Associates
• Recycled glass artist: Dr. Tyra Oseng-Rees