Redcar Community Heart

Award-Winning Design: Redcar’s New Facility Blends Accessibility, Flexibility, and Sustainability in a Modern Community Heart.

Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council commissioned SPACE&PLACE (S&P) to develop the Leisure and Community Heart project. As the Lead Architect, S&P managed the entire project, including leisure design, while collaborating with architects on the office components. This multi-level facility includes a 25m six-lane pool, a large fitness suite, studio space, and an eight-court sports hall that also serves as exhibition and theatre space. The centre also features a community dance hall, meeting rooms, a wedding venue, a conference facility, a council chamber, business units, office space, an enterprise centre, a café/bar, and an energy centre.

The open reception area, featuring café amenities, connects public spaces and creates a welcoming atmosphere, enhancing the hub’s accessibility. A striking ‘Cinderella’ staircase leads to the mayor’s chamber, which includes a multifunctional debating space and council office suite. Two additional floors offer meeting rooms, conference areas, and an artist’s studio designed for resident artists and local creatives. 

Continuous client dialogue influenced the spatial organization, resulting in a centre with spaces that remain active throughout the day. The sports hall features acoustic lining and seamless floor-to-ceiling doors, transforming it into a professional-grade function area. Flexible spaces throughout the building, like the foldable podiums in the council chamber, support various events and uses. 

We designed adaptable ‘timber pods’ and communal spaces with dedicated lighting and shelving for art displays, aligning with the Council’s goal to promote public art. This centre includes a mix of public and private spaces, with sports, civic, and community functions managed independently but cohesively under one roof. 

Collaboration with the main contractor (WDC) and regular client consultations helped push design boundaries and maximise the budget. After Stage E, WDC novated S&P’s team, who then led weekly site meetings, design reviews, and value engineering until completion.  

Results

The project achieved significant success by designing flexible key spaces, reducing the centre’s size by 800m² and saving over £2 million.We catered to all sectors of the community through detailed consultations with stakeholders and local groups. We incorporated locally sourced suppliers and materials to enhance sustainability. The Flowrider surfing machine, one of only three in the UK, is expected to draw significant crowds. Additionally, we introduced moving floor technology to adapt to diverse user needs.The project received multiple awards, including a Civic Trust Award commendation, showcasing S&P’s commitment to innovative, community-engaging design.   

April 2014