The project is a new mixed-use “neighbourhood centre” serving the Victoria and Newtown Wards of Bridgwater. It is one of four initiatives across the region supported by the “Building Communities” programme that is being promoted by the South West of England Regional Development Agency, and a broad partnership of local agencies drawn together by Sedgemoor District Council. It comprises the following principle elements: Community facilities (hall, café, room for meetings, activities, classes); Children’s Centre (for 9 under-two year olds and 36 two-to-four year olds); Life-long learning facilities (ICT, health, fitness, food, family etc); Heath Centre; Multi-Agency Office base (accessible to Community, and available for youth team, community police, education, social services, citizen’s advice etc); Small Business start-up units (flexible – office, retail, light craft, likely to include a Pharmacy adjacent to the Health Centre). Consultations and community participation The project has been developed from early conception through to detailed design with a high level of participation by community and stake-holder agencies. The local community were involved in the early decision on site selection and ‘wish-lists’ for the project, through a number of public meetings including a ‘presentation in the park’. A comprehensive briefing process was undertaken with representatives of the community and stake-holder agencies. At a mid-stage in the design process the developing design was reviewed by a panel on behalf of the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE). This was valuable both in affirming the strength of the evolving approach and highlighting some weaknesses which were subsequently addressed. The Police Architectural Liaison Officer was consulted at the early stages (the Police being in fact one of the community partners in the project), and also for a review of the finished design. This affirmed that the appropriate approach to security issues has been taken. It is intended that Secure by Design accreditation will be obtained for the finished project. Design principles The design was developed with a number of key principles in mind:- • The building should first and foremost address the needs and aspirations of the community it is to serve; making an 'architectural statement', while valid, should be secondary to or contained within this. • Whilst being multi-functional the building should have a strong sense of single identity. • The building should create a strong sense of place. • It should respond to the SWRDA requirements for sustainability, in its conception (addressing real needs), its fabric, its running, and its long-term flexibility (able to respond to changing needs and to climate-change). • The needs of security should be carefully handled to balance the equally important need for accessibility (literal and perceived). • The building and its surroundings need to be robust, to withstand vandalism as well as normal heavy usage. Central to the ideal for the Centre was the concept that while being multi-functional it would nevertheless operate as an entity, with the various elements functionally interactive. This was potentially at odds with the need to provide distinct points of privacy and control at (for example) health centre reception, children’s centre access. In addition it was recognised early on that the funding procedure may lead to the need to phase the construction. These constraints led to a building form concept which rather than being a single mass with one point of entry, would be a group of elements around a courtyard, the courtyard providing the unifying access point and focus. The site is immediately adjacent to Victoria Park, and conceptually this courtyard is perceived as an extension to the public open space. However a 'hierarchy' of spaces (public, semi-public, semi-private, private) is established through the use of garden walls, screens and gateways, which provides appropriate levels of natural security without creating an atmosphere of exclusion. The nature of internal spaces divides between larger activity rooms (hall, meeting rooms, children’s activities etc) and smaller supporting accommodation (offices, interview rooms etc). The vertical as well as horizontal scales differ, hence a concept was developed where the larger spaces form a continuous run of dominant taller element, with lean-to subsidiary elements. The construction of the larger elements minimises the need for structural internal divisions, so maximising future flexibility. The scheme as a whole has been developed in the light of the Regional Sustainable Development Framework by Sustainability South West. Insofar as these are applicable to the buildings themselves, the building design responds in a number of ways:- • high standard of thermal insulation - minimising heat losses • natural ventilation (except locally to sanitary and kitchen areas) • thermally massive construction and effective night ventilation • maximising natural daylighting / minimising need for artificial lighting • use of solar energy • rain-water harvesting • surface-water run-off attenuation - minimises strain on drainage infrastructure • materials sourced as locally as possible • efficient heating and lighting installations