ARCHITECTS renowned for thinking "outside the box" have been appointed to design an iconic entrance and buildings for a flagship business park.

Award-winning architectural practice Fashion, Architecture, Taste (Fat) will have a major input into the latest developments at the Lingfield Point business park, in Darlington.

The "visually exciting" gateway to the business park will include new entrance art features, and treatment to the frontage to the new road.

As well as the entrance, they will submit designs for the Powerhouse, the original boiler house and turbine hall from the former Paton and Baldwins woolmanufacturing site, both in its outside presentation and the use of the space within.

Fat, whose work is often seen as a combination of art and architecture, is also designing new apartment and office buildings in which eco-friendly, lowenergy technology will be a significant part, as well as the "hub" building for the management and security team.

The new gateway will link the business park to the new Darlington Eastern Transport Corridor.

John Orchard, director of Marchday, the owner of Lingfield Point, said: "I'm really excited to be working with Fat. They have a reputation for producing the unexpected.

"Their approach is very different to a traditional architect. I have admired them from afar for a long time.

"I actually contacted them cold by sending an email to one of the directors, Sean Griffiths, saying we have this in Darlington, it is exciting and has huge potential.

"He called me up and said this sounds really exciting'. You see these high-profile architects and you tend to think they wouldn't want to work on your project, but Lingfield Point has the potential to be a nationally recognised development because of its size and what we aspire to achieve there."

Mr Orchard admitted he was excited about the prospect of Fat's input into the site, not just in the entrance which is aimed at having a "wow" factor for visitors, but also in its work on the buildings.

He said: "The Powerhouse is very important to the new entrance, as it is the first building you see from the new main road.

"I have a vision for that building that it has partly arts use, but also commercial, office and community space and maybe new apartments. It is a big building.

"With the new entrance off the Darlington Eastern Transport Corridor, Lingfield Point is at Darlington's new front door and the regeneration of landmark buildings such as The Powerhouse and the creation of new landmark buildings along the new route are a priority for us.

"Local people have helped shape our proposals over the past year, and in addition to exciting buildings we hope to be announcing some exciting art projects over the next six months or so."

Fat worked with Will Alsop on the design of the "Community in a Cube" (CICA) apartments at the RiversideOne development in Middlehaven, Middlesbrough.

Its work also includes "The Blue House", described as the most memorable new house in London since the Eighties, and Islington Square, a development of 23 housing association homes in Manchester which won critical acclaim and for which Fat visited all 23 families prior to designing their homes to discover what they wanted.

Fat, established in 1995, is run by Sean Griffiths, Charles Holland and Sam Jacob.

Mr Griffiths said: "We are aware that Lingfield Point is an iconic development within Darlington and during its history has touched the lives of many local families. This is something we will take very seriously when looking at the new entrance features.

"The regeneration of the business park so far is inspiring, and I hope that we can add our own signature to the north-east corner."

Mr Jacob said: "The use of green technology and building methods is a very important part of the whole regeneration of Lingfield Point. This is something that we will incorporate into our designs to help create an entrance and buildings that are both environmentally friendly and visually stunning."

A planning application will be submitted in the next couple of months to complete the regeneration of the 107-acre brownfield site, which Marchday bought ten years ago.

Among the awards Fat has won are the Architecure Foundation New Generation Award 2006, FX Best Public Building Award 2006, and a Riba European Award.