The Sands End Arts and Community Centre (pictured) was built at no cost to residents
The new Sands End Arts and Community Centre has won another prestigious architecture award, with judges praising it for being ‘high-performing in terms of sustainability’.
H&F Council worked very closely with residents, local stakeholders and architects Mae to design the award-winning centre by South Park, Fulham. It was built at no cost to residents thanks to significant community contributions from Thames Tideway and Chelsea FC as negotiated by H&F Council and H&F Leader, Cllr Stephen Cowan.
The centre, which is managed and run by local people, secured the Community and Faith prize at the Architect Journal awards.
“I’m delighted that the centre’s environmental and sustainable design has been recognised with a further award,” said Cllr Ben Coleman, H&F Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care. “We want the centre to enhance the wellbeing of residents of diverse backgrounds, ages and incomes and we invite people to come and book its low-cost spaces.”
See more about the new Sands End Arts and Community Centre. And to book the centre for your event, meeting or party, please email: welcome@seacc.uk
Low-cost spaces for everyone to book
The centre features flexible arts and community space, with a large hall and rooms that can be booked at a low cost, and a new cafe under construction.
As part of H&F Council’s approach of doing things with residents and not to them, a community trust comprised of local residents runs the centre.
What the judges said
The judges declared the centre in Peterborough Road to be a ‘triumph on many levels – not least its clever re-use of crushed ceramic waste to create the bricks for its nougat-coloured skin’. It was also praised for its environmental credentials as 35 per cent of the building is made up of reconstituted material.
The judges added: “From its presence on the street, to the exceptionally beautiful entrance, to the quality of light, to the way the buildings flows, this is architecture with a capital A.
“It is also a hugely flexible, user-focused building and high-performing in terms of sustainability – especially for such a limited budget. It works in terms of the larger ideas, as well as the attention to detail.”
Other awards
The design for the new building takes inspiration from 19th Century glasshouses built by the horticulturalist James Veitch, which previously occupied the site in South Park until the 1980s. The centre also incorporates the revamped Clancarty Lodge, which was originally built in 1903.
Before it was even built, the centre won its first major architecture prize in 2018 after being selected as one of the best in London at the New London Architecture Awards. This year, the centre has also won the Architect of the Year prize at the Structural Timber Awards and was shortlisted in both the Civic Trust Awards and Architects Journal Retrofit Awards.
To book a space at the centre, please email: welcome@seacc.uk
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