Plumstead Centre
A winning blend of community and heritage
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A Grade II-listed public library refurbished, extended and transformed into a new civic anchor for Plumstead.
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Plumstead Library was built in 1903 and gained listed status in 2016 – yet the library’s use had diminished throughout the past century. Seeking to create a new facility that combined a range of community-aimed functions, the council commissioned a major transformation.
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Improved library rooms, new leisure facilities, reinstated flexible spaces, and a new café create a new social destination on the High Street for the community to use.
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Refurbishment also uncovered some of the building’s previous glory including the original vaulted ceiling, which had been hidden for over 70 years.
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The marriage of leisure and library services under one roof has prompted one local resident to name this new typology a “gymbrary”.
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Elements of past, present and future Plumstead have been seamlessly embedded within the building. Plumstead Centre was designed through close collaboration and discussion with residents, and I am incredibly proud of the Centre and the new year-round opportunities it will offer residents through its flexible and adaptable design
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![Street view of Plumstead Centre at sunset.](https://www.hawkinsbrown.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Plumstead-Centre-Exterior-03-scaled.jpg)
Project details
Project name: Plumstead Centre
Location: London, UK
Service: Sustainable design
Value: < £20M
Scope: Architecture
Clients: The Royal Borough of Greenwich
Status: Complete
Completion date: 2020
Structural engineer: PBA
M+E: PBA
Project management: Faithful+Gould
Quantity surveyor: Faithful+Gould
Planning consultant: BPTW
Photography: Jack Hobhouse, Tim Crocker
Awards
RIBA London Awards 2022 Winner
RIBA Awards 2022 Conservation - Winner
AJ100 2021 Building of the Year - Winner
Civic Trust Awards 2021 National - Winner
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Email: adamcossey@hawkinsbrown.com