Avonmouth Community Centre | Bristol

Client: Avonmouth Community Centre Association

Value: £250,000

Services Provided: Feasibility Study, Master Planning, Planning Stage Design, Public Consultation, Funding Application Support, Detailed Design, Principal Designer, Contract Administrator, Project Management, Construction Stage Support. RIBA Stages: 0-6

Refurbishment of Community Centre to maximise community potential.

The Avonmouth Community Centre Association (ACCA) operates out of a Victorian school building constructed in 1886. The building was taken over by the association in 1971 when the school moved, and had undergone very limited changes since.

With an ambition to enhance their range of community services, ACCA initially engaged gcp to support a funding application and Community Asset Transfer. This involved developing a feasibility study and masterplan concept for the reconfiguration of the building. The issues to resolve included: optimising management and flexible utilisation of the facilities, enabling multiple event hiring, reducing energy usage, general upgrades and maintenance, enabling combined management of the centre reception and library facilities, and providing an upgraded provision for social outreach café sessions.

This was done with very limited funding available with the added challenge of maintaining the centre as a functioning facility throughout the works. The project was granted in phases, with sectional occupation by the contractor. The centre now provides dedicated meeting spaces, a teaching kitchen, function space and a library.

Further phases will refurbish the central hall and the rear support spaces, as well as improve the building fabric and include a renewable energy provision.