The Fitzherbert Community Hub
The transformation of a former convent school into a vibrant community hub
Project Information
Project: Fitzherbert Community Hub
Client: Brighton Table Tennis Club, The Roman Catholic Diocese Of Arundel & Brighton, Voices in Exile, The Real Junk Food Project
Location: Brighton
Scope: Feasibility Study, RIBA Stages 0-7
Status: Completed
Awards
Winner Sussex Heritage Trust Awards - Public and Community Award (2023)
Highly Commended Sussex Heritage Trust Awards - ECO Award (2023)
Finalist Constructing Excellence London & South East Awards - Conservation and regeneration (2023)
Finalist Constructing Excellence London & South East Awards - Value (2023)
Shortlisted Blue Badge Access Award (2023)
Longlisted RIBAJ MacEwen Award (2023)
The brief
Originally built as a school and later adapted as a parish hall, the building sits beside a Grade II* listed church and is recognised locally as a non-designated heritage asset. Inside, fragmented rooms, significant level changes and poor circulation limited access and restricted how the building could be used by multiple community and faith-based organisations concurrently.
What began as a Sport England funded feasibility study on behalf of the Brighton Table Tennis Club developed into a reinvigorated community hub that supported the work of four separate partners: Brighton Table Tennis Club, The Roman Catholic Diocese Of Arundel & Brighton, Voices in Exile, and The Real Junk Food Project.
Our Approach
The initial brief was to create a community cafe in the existing Parish Hall. However, we identified areas of overlap between each of the stakeholders that had not been previously recognised and saw an opportunity that sought more integration and inclusion.
Accessibility was treated as a core design principle from the outset. Working with specialist access consultant Jane Simpson Access, we developed a coordinated strategy to resolve significant level changes, improve circulation and provide step-free access throughout. In particular, we were very aware that many visitors to the centre may be suffering stress, trauma or just having a bad day. It was important to us that a parent can get their pram through the front door without fuss, that anyone can access the toilet with dignity, and that the space felt comfortable and safe. We used the spatial layout and visual cues to improve wayfinding and reduce reliance on written signage, supporting users with differing mobility, sensory, cognitive and language needs.
These principles are demonstrated in practice in the accompanying short video, which illustrates how users experience and navigate the building: https://fitzherbertcommunityhub.org.uk/stories-of-note/
“Stefanie Stead has been among the best architects I have worked with in my 45 years in the construction and associated industries, as a consultant, contractor responsible as Chief Executive for many major buildings in London and around the world and as a Client myself.
She has demonstrated a sensitivity to understand, interpret and execute the brief, in this case with 4 Partners who have joined together to create the Fitzherbert Community Hub in Brighton - a benchmark project. Her imagination and interpersonal skills have combined to create a design that all the Partners are delighted with, as it responds to their vision being delivered, with good accessibility and functionality which is also attractive to the funding agencies we are applying to.
In 1911 Churchill said, ‘Firstly architects fashion the building, thereafter the building fashions us’. I have little doubt that Stefanie’s design will fashion all the multitude of users very well.”
