Thurrock Civic Offices

A new Civic Centre for Thurrock Council located on Grays High Street, also forming the first phase of the wider South Grays regeneration project.

LSI Architects were appointed by Thurrock Council to develop proposals for a new Civic Centre on Grays High Street from concept design to completion on site. The new Civic Office represents a key milestone in the Grays South Regeneration project, acting as a catalyst to unlock further opportunities to enhance and improve Grays Town Centre over the next 15 to 20 years.

A key part of our brief was to design a building that would greatly enhance access for the people of Thurrock to a range of public services, moving away from the traditional ‘helpdesk’ environment to provide a vibrant, welcoming community space.

The three-storey building incorporates:

  • A new Registry Office and Ceremonial Garden to host weddings and ceremonies of a variety of sizes
  • Several multi-function committee rooms to be made available for use by the community for events and meetings
  • A new café open to the public and providing a new space for socialising, including an outside seating area and a space for studying or mobile working
  • A large reception area suitable for hosting art exhibitions and community events; and
  • A new south-facing public seating area, interacting with the existing college square and making a positive impact on the public realm and appearance of the area.

Following the space planning principles established in the early design process, which considered views out and daylighting, the building has been split into two halves with a central spine of circulation. The south side of the building accommodates the more public facing spaces, comprising of the council chamber and public hub, whereas smaller offices can be found on the north side.

The building employs a “fabric first” approach through robust U-values and high-performance glazing. Key elements, such as the south-facing saw tooth window, have been rigorously examined with in-house modelling to minimize overheating and excessive solar gain. A brown roof has been introduced to increase biodiversity on the site.

Internally, the building employs a mix of natural and mechanical ventilation. The central spine of circulation utilises roof light openings to achieve a naturally ventilated space through stack ventilation, while thermal comfort is maintained through underfloor heating and openable windows.

The internal finishes put sustainability at the forefront, with high-efficiency light fittings and sustainably sourced materials with certified Environmental Product Declarations. A life cycle assessment was carried out at RIBA Stage 2 and Stage 4 to inform the project team of alternative materials for consideration.

The well-being of council staff and members of the public was another key consideration when designing the building’s interior spaces, following the principles of the WELL standard.

 

A planned Consultation & Briefing Process allowed us to explore the client’s brief via a series of focus-group presentations, informing the design proposals and ensuring ‘buy-in’ from the staff of the ensuing proposals. A focus group comprised staff and public stakeholders with feedback received helping to shape the proposals.

Such a varied end-user gives a complex programme of uses. Routes for different functions have been separated to retain users’ dignity, and more private spaces have been provided to deal with sensitive individual matters.

Externally, this contrast between transparency and achieving the privacy required creates an interesting interplay in the facade design and distribution of glazing, as well as the internal adjacencies and user routes through the building. The fully glazed ground floor entrance and cafe seamlessly extend the public realm into the building whilst activating the High Street. This public realm continues up through a large triple-height void and wide public stair to the Council Chamber which sits at the heart of the building.

The façades were key to creating the required civic presence. The use of innovative brick slip cladding gives the building height and verticality that lend it an impressive civic presence, making the building easily recognisable as a building where residents and visitors could access the services they need.

By delivering a building of a high quality, and with a real presence within the community, the development aims to improve the visibility and accessibility of the public-facing services provided by the council.

 

FROM THE PROJECT DIRECTOR

The new Council Offices building is one that we believe punches well above its weight. The development has achieved a high standard of design quality, with long lasting, low maintenance, sustainable materials to provide a highly attractive appearance on a modest budget.

Peter Courtney Director at LSI Architects