Oxford Architects have recently completed the new Lyde Green Community Centre, located within the new suburb of Lyde Green to the East of Bristol. The single storey building accommodates a multi-use hall, café with associated kitchen, changing facilities, flexible circulation spaces, meeting rooms and protected external space.

The new Community Centre addresses a Public Square, on which the Main Entrance is located, as well as the side elevation which sits along the roadside. The integration of public artwork into the building’s fabric works very effectively. The glazed brise-soleil panels offer printed views of local countryside and change colour as sunlight hits them in different ways during the day. They bring this important corner of the building to life.

The external materials complement the existing palette through the use of buff brickwork and also offer something new through the use of Cedar timber cladding. Manmade and natural materials reflect the uses within the spaces. The brickwork brings a solidity to the Main Hall and the timber cladding is a tactile material which will weather over time.

A projecting and sweeping front canopy identifies the entrance point and offers external protection from the elements. Upon entry, the building presents itself in a clear and logical manner. The multi-use circulation space runs the full length of the building and acts as its spine with other rooms/uses unfolding/opening up on each side.

The Café benefits from floor to ceiling glazing overlooking the Public Square and School, offering a blurring of boundaries. The meeting rooms are also accessed via the multi-use circulation space and linked to protected external spaces suitable for all ages.