Woolwich Old Town Hall & Library

Redevelopment of Grade II listed civic buildings to provide new arts hub

Woolwich is home to an unusual concentration of former civic buildings, now in need of new use. Gort Scott has conceived a series of sensitive insertions and alterations to form an arts hub in the Old Town Hall and Old Library complex.

The Council objective is to bring forward a sustainable, modern, flexible and affordable workspace offer for new creative industry enterprises and businesses in the heart of Woolwich town centre, creating more opportunities for jobs, training and skills, and support networking and joint commission opportunities.

Dating from the 1840s, Woolwich Old Town Hall is the oldest surviving municipal building in Woolwich. The Old Town Hall is adjacent to several listed buildings: Woolwich Old Library, The Magistrates, and The Bathway, forming a distinct group of heritage buildings. This project consists of the redevelopment of the Grade II listed Old Town Hall and Old Library.

Interior of the Old Public Library and existing view

The Old Town Hall has seen numerous civic uses and development phases, which have resulted in multiple entry points and level changes, ad-hoc internal partitioning, and a confusing sense of public identity.

The ground floor of the main historic core has been significantly altered over time. There are modern subdivisions, making it difficult to navigate and detracting from the significance of the building. Interesting historic remnants, such as chamfered/corbelled columns and historic vaults, are difficult to appreciate currently.

The primary first floor rooms have not suffered the same degree of successive subdivision and spaces are well proportioned and retain many original features.

A later extension to the south was built too close to the historic staircase, effectively compromising a key historic orientation and vertical access point within the building

The principal entrance to the Old Town Hall from Calderwood Street will be modified to improve access. The proposed alterations will reveal the historic stair and restore its historic relationship to the street. The new entrance will be formed in Portland Stone reflecting the material quality of the historic core of the Old Town Hall.

Proposals include new, generously sized, accessible artists’ studios on both levels. The workspaces will have access to dedicated wash-up area for wet art materials, secure bike storage and WC areas.

The First Floor Studios are partitioned for individual use, with independent timber structures made from recycled materials

At the rear of the Old Library is a currently under-used, single-story building which fronts onto Bathway. The building will be converted into a Café/Gallery, creating a publicly accessible commercial activity space, and opportunities for studio creatives to exhibit their work.

(1) The new ground floor link between the 1892 extension and the main body of the Old Town Hall is expressed in timber, providing a clear and distinct language to the new element (2) The new timber clad lift shaft

A yard area to the rear of the Old Town Hall & Library presents opportunity for amenity space serving the community of creatives using the two buildings and opening to the public during ‘open studios’ events. In addition, the removal of level-changes will provide an accessible route between the Calderwood Street side of the building and Bathway.

The landscaping will be characterised by dense planting for shaded areas and warm brick pavers and low brick walls, recycled from demolishing the outbuildings. Timber work will also be used for new elements to provide additional warmth within the space and to compliment the bucolic, garden-like feel of the space, with generous planting to increase biodiversity on the site.

Further information

Data

Location
Woolwich, London
Project type
Public and civic, Heritage and adaptation

Credits

Client
Royal Borough of Greenwich
Gort Scott Team
Sela-Jaymes Taylor, Jay Gort, Benjamin Carter, Annelie Kops, Paul Wild

Related Projects

Harrow New Civic Centre

Harrow Civic Centre, View east from Wealdstone Square

Waltham Forest Town Hall & Assembly Hall