Led by social impact developer BEC, LEVELS is a four-story digital and gaming hub in the heart of Whitehaven, transforming the former Whittles department store into a destination for technology, creativity, and digital community.
Challenge
Balancing heritage preservation with the demands of a contemporary digital hub required sensitive interventions to a historic structure. The project needed to improve accessibility, achieve high energy performance, and create flexible spaces capable of supporting evolving technologies and diverse user needs.
Solution
Our adaptive reuse design preserves the building’s historic Italianate façade and key external fabric while fully modernizing the interior. A renewed lift and stair core ensure full access throughout the building, while flexible spaces accommodate uses ranging from coding labs, recording studios, and wellness areas. The industrial-tech aesthetic, inspired by circuit boards, reinforces the building’s identity and supports future upgrades.
Outcome
This redevelopment reimagines a derelict Grade II listed building to inspire future digital talent. With funding from Sellafield Ltd, BT, and BEC, and support from local education and industry partners, the project demonstrates how adaptive reuse can drive social and economic regeneration. Rooftop solar panels, air source heat pumps, and heat recovery ventilation helped achieve the highest UK energy-efficiency classification.
The hub combines one of the region’s first dedicated e-sports venues with VR and simulation suites, coding labs, motion capture facilities, and sound recording and podcast studios
LEVELS takes its name from both the building’s four floors and the idea of progressing to the “next level” through digital learning and experience
In the heart of Whitehaven’s town center, the former Whittles department store (a late 19th-century Grade II listed building) has been transformed into LEVELS: a four-story digital and gaming hub designed to inspire the next generation of talent. Led by social impact developer BEC, the project reimagines a derelict landmark at the key intersection of Duke and Tangier Streets into a vibrant destination for technology, creativity and digital community.
Our team led the adaptive reuse design, preserving the building’s historic Italianate façade and key external fabric with heritage-sensitive solutions such as ultra-thin double glazing to timber sash windows while fully modernizing the interior. Rooftop solar panels, air source heat pumps and heat recovery ventilation helped achieve an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) Level A—the highest UK energy-efficiency rating. Accessibility upgrades included renewing the lift and stair core to ensure full access throughout.
LEVELS reflects both the building’s four floors and the idea of “reaching the next level” through immersive digital experiences. The ground floor hosts one of the region’s first dedicated e-sports venues, a bright café and public viewing screens. Upper levels include VR and simulation suites, coding labs, motion capture, sound recording and podcast studios plus a top-floor screen-free zone for wellness and social connection. Dark finishes on the upper floors contrast with the café’s brighter palette while terracotta orange and teal bring energy to key gathering areas. An industrial-tech aesthetic features exposed cable trays mimicking circuit boards, supporting adaptability for future technology upgrades.
With funding from Sellafield Ltd, BT and BEC and support from local education and industry partners (Barclays Eagle Labs provides business mentorship in digital sectors), LEVELS expands access to digital skills and career pathways. By restoring and reprogramming this heritage asset, the project demonstrates how adaptive reuse can drive social and economic regeneration, creating a safe, inspiring environment where community, technology and opportunity converge.
