The Architecture of the Hall
At Peacehaven the building is on two storeys and has a large community hall at each level. In Bromley the hall is a single space at Ground Floor. Each benefits from being a clear and uncluttered space that is naturally lit through a mix of Rooflights, Windows and Clerestory glazing.
The Building’s Accommodation
Each building has an amount of additional accommodation to support the building’s activities. At Bromley this is more extensive as it requires a number of rooms for office support staff in addition to the typical allocation of kitchen, WC and storage. All of these spaces have natural light and ventilation through openable rooflights. In Peacehaven the additional accommodation is in the form of a large amount of storage as well as kitchen and WC facilities.
Design for Access
The significant third space between hall and supplementary accommodation is the access into and through the building. This has often proved to be an area where the architecture can be explored and developed as a feature of the building. In Peacehaven the access is a wide zone at the front of the building at each level and is flooded with light using a two storey glazed screen and houses a feature stair. Light is then borrowed into the community spaces behind through internal glass screens. A lift is also located here. At Bromley the access is twofold. Firstly, into the public area, where a series of angular rooflights define the space and secondly around the private offices, where a series of circular rooflights help define the spaces. The two circulation forms come together to clasp the feature roof over the community hall.
Sustainable Architecture
The completed building at Peacehaven contains an umber of sustainable features ranging from an Air Source Heat pump to reduce energy costs to the provision of daylight to all internal spaces to reduce the requirement for electric lighting. The design for the building at Bromley will feature a green roof and again a wide range of rooflights to bring daylight into all internal spaces.