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Brent council's new £90m civic centre seen as machine for making money Brent council's new £90m civic centre seen as machine for making money
(4 months later)
At a time when local authorities are being forced to make cuts, it might seem strange for Brent, the most deprived borough in west London, to be unveiling a new £90m council headquarters. But the gleaming new civic centre, which stands in the shadow of Wembley stadium, is no ordinary council office. Designed by Hopkins, architects of the palatial Portcullis House at Westminster, it is conceived as a 21st-century machine for delivering public services – and making money.At a time when local authorities are being forced to make cuts, it might seem strange for Brent, the most deprived borough in west London, to be unveiling a new £90m council headquarters. But the gleaming new civic centre, which stands in the shadow of Wembley stadium, is no ordinary council office. Designed by Hopkins, architects of the palatial Portcullis House at Westminster, it is conceived as a 21st-century machine for delivering public services – and making money.
Bringing together every council department of one of London's largest boroughs – currently housed in 14 buildings scattered across the area – it combines the functions of a town hall and conference centre, wedding venue and public library, cafe and "customer service centre". Before its opening, it has been declared the most sustainable public building in the UK, complete with a boiler that runs on fish oil.Bringing together every council department of one of London's largest boroughs – currently housed in 14 buildings scattered across the area – it combines the functions of a town hall and conference centre, wedding venue and public library, cafe and "customer service centre". Before its opening, it has been declared the most sustainable public building in the UK, complete with a boiler that runs on fish oil.
Aktar Choudhury, the centre's programme director, said: "By bringing everything together on one site, this building will save us £2.5m a year."Aktar Choudhury, the centre's programme director, said: "By bringing everything together on one site, this building will save us £2.5m a year."
If public buildings reflect the mores of their time, from the paternalist grandeur of Victorian town halls to the stripped deco styling of 1930s modernity, then Brent Civic Centre is an apt beacon of our age of streamlining and efficiencies. Approached from the north, along the ceremonial boulevard to the stadium, the building stands as a grim cliff of modular units, a stack of glassy grey boxes strapped together with a hi-tech array of louvres and tensile wires. Far from screaming "town hall", it looks like something from an out-of-town business park.If public buildings reflect the mores of their time, from the paternalist grandeur of Victorian town halls to the stripped deco styling of 1930s modernity, then Brent Civic Centre is an apt beacon of our age of streamlining and efficiencies. Approached from the north, along the ceremonial boulevard to the stadium, the building stands as a grim cliff of modular units, a stack of glassy grey boxes strapped together with a hi-tech array of louvres and tensile wires. Far from screaming "town hall", it looks like something from an out-of-town business park.
To the south-east, this L-shaped block of offices embraces a circular drum of civic functions. An enormous roof of inflated polymer cushions sails above it, "a metaphor for bringing all of the departments together under one roof", according to the architect, David Selby.To the south-east, this L-shaped block of offices embraces a circular drum of civic functions. An enormous roof of inflated polymer cushions sails above it, "a metaphor for bringing all of the departments together under one roof", according to the architect, David Selby.
From outside it may have all the charm of Stansted airport, but within, the building's interior has a magisterial scale. Compared with Brent's current town hall – a modest brick affair built in 1940 – walking into the civic centre feels like arriving at the parliament of a small nation state.From outside it may have all the charm of Stansted airport, but within, the building's interior has a magisterial scale. Compared with Brent's current town hall – a modest brick affair built in 1940 – walking into the civic centre feels like arriving at the parliament of a small nation state.
The entrance opens into a voluminous atrium, where a vast flight of steps cascades from the first-floor cafe. "This is our public amphitheatre," said Choudhury, describing how the planned programme of events, from lunchtime marimba music to choral recitals, is designed to "blur the boundaries between the community and the council". But, with eight floors of office windows looking on to the stage, this blurred boundary may prove a little distracting.The entrance opens into a voluminous atrium, where a vast flight of steps cascades from the first-floor cafe. "This is our public amphitheatre," said Choudhury, describing how the planned programme of events, from lunchtime marimba music to choral recitals, is designed to "blur the boundaries between the community and the council". But, with eight floors of office windows looking on to the stage, this blurred boundary may prove a little distracting.
The building is naturally ventilated, with exposed concrete soffits to provide thermal mass, one of the many features, along with bat boxes and planted balconies, that allow the project to achieve its top environmental rating of "Breeam outstanding" under a globally recognised measure of sustainable building design.The building is naturally ventilated, with exposed concrete soffits to provide thermal mass, one of the many features, along with bat boxes and planted balconies, that allow the project to achieve its top environmental rating of "Breeam outstanding" under a globally recognised measure of sustainable building design.
There is space for about 2,000 staff, although they may not all have room to sit down at once. This is a world of hot-desking and homeworking, with only eight seats for every 10 people. Pairs of floors are linked with fun spiral staircases winding through double-height atria – "an opportunity for people from different departments to interact and have those crucial informal conversations," says Selby.There is space for about 2,000 staff, although they may not all have room to sit down at once. This is a world of hot-desking and homeworking, with only eight seats for every 10 people. Pairs of floors are linked with fun spiral staircases winding through double-height atria – "an opportunity for people from different departments to interact and have those crucial informal conversations," says Selby.
The public heart of the building is across the atrium in a timber-clad barrel: an expansive ground-floor library, above which stands a community hall. Here, columns support an elaborate ceiling of beams and bracing, a cat's cradle that recalls the civic form of a gothic chapterhouse or medieval roundhouse. "It has a sprung wooden floor," said Choudhury. "We are particularly famous for our tea dances."The public heart of the building is across the atrium in a timber-clad barrel: an expansive ground-floor library, above which stands a community hall. Here, columns support an elaborate ceiling of beams and bracing, a cat's cradle that recalls the civic form of a gothic chapterhouse or medieval roundhouse. "It has a sprung wooden floor," said Choudhury. "We are particularly famous for our tea dances."
While such activities are part of the equation, Brent also has its eye on more lucrative uses. On the level above sits the crowning room, where the walls taper up in triangulated panels to a striking glazed lantern. This is the council chamber, but most of the time it will be rented out as a conference facility – one of more than 20 spaces in the building that can be hired for corporate functions. From the foyers to the amphitheatre, hi-spec boardrooms to winter gardens, galleries to banqueting halls, the centre has been designed as a clever sequence of money-making possibilities.While such activities are part of the equation, Brent also has its eye on more lucrative uses. On the level above sits the crowning room, where the walls taper up in triangulated panels to a striking glazed lantern. This is the council chamber, but most of the time it will be rented out as a conference facility – one of more than 20 spaces in the building that can be hired for corporate functions. From the foyers to the amphitheatre, hi-spec boardrooms to winter gardens, galleries to banqueting halls, the centre has been designed as a clever sequence of money-making possibilities.
Weddings are also set to be a big earner, with space for up to three ceremonies to take place at once in a wedding garden, lined with pleached lime trees. With its metal fence and tensile PVC gazebo, it looks to have all the romance of getting married in a petrol station.Weddings are also set to be a big earner, with space for up to three ceremonies to take place at once in a wedding garden, lined with pleached lime trees. With its metal fence and tensile PVC gazebo, it looks to have all the romance of getting married in a petrol station.
The slightly soulless, sterile quality is not confined to this one building alone. The civic centre is the first part of a wider plan by Make architects, in which the surrounding six hectares will be furnished with marching blocks of shops, houses and offices, joining a new Hilton hotel, student housing and designer retail hub.The slightly soulless, sterile quality is not confined to this one building alone. The civic centre is the first part of a wider plan by Make architects, in which the surrounding six hectares will be furnished with marching blocks of shops, houses and offices, joining a new Hilton hotel, student housing and designer retail hub.
Whatever the nature of this generic soup, Brent's functional civic machine will always stand as a fitting monument to our corporate times.Whatever the nature of this generic soup, Brent's functional civic machine will always stand as a fitting monument to our corporate times.
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