Close Menu
City Hall
City Hall connects citizens with their local government, combining spaces for municipal services, private tenants and community events.
Summary
Civic and private workspace
Location
Sunderland, England
Client
Sunderland City Council
Size
17,480m²
Completion
2021
City hall sunderland closeup of person walking up red oxide stair 10x11
Vision
Sunderland City Council commissioned City Hall to replace the old civic centre, which had been home to the council since 1970. In response, we created a democratic and collaborative space for locals to engage with their community. The building celebrates the city’s industrial heritage as well as its vision for the future.
City hall sunderland reception desks in entrance atrium g
City hall sunderland closeup of feature stair handrail and wayfinding signage zoom g
City hall sunderland people walking across bridge between offices zoom g
Uniting the city

City Hall unites municipal services that were previously spread across eight different locations in the city. It combines civic and private offices, with workspaces arranged around the central atrium to invite collaboration. The hall also features spaces for community events like yoga sessions; hosts weddings and civil ceremonies; and provides public-access computers in the open foyer. The café and social breakout spaces provide a welcoming environment for public visitors and colleagues to connect.

City hall sunderland seating integrated into base of feature stair 3x4
City hall sunderland front elevation at dusk g
Connection by design

There are no turnstiles or barriers at the building’s entrance. Instead, visitors are greeted by an open and airy atrium, which houses a distinctive steel staircase—the centrepiece of the building. The design is modern, but nods to the city’s rich history of industrial craftsmanship, with materials for the staircase sourced from a local former ship-building firm. The large, glazed windows create light-filled interiors and promote transparency between the council and passersby. 

City hall sunderland closeup of top corner facade portrait 3x4
City hall sunderland community engagement event 3x2
City hall sunderland feature stair fabrication beal architectural 3x2
City hall sunderland feature stair being installed 3x2
Engaging the community
City Hall was built for and by the city of Sunderland. Its design was shaped by community engagement at exhibitions and workshops, and much of the construction was carried out by local labourers.
City hall sunderland terrazzo flooring 3x2
City hall sunderland material sample board 3x2
City hall sunderland plants staged ready for installation 3x2
Climate-conscious construction
City Hall has an efficient, compact form. Its internal finishes are minimal but robust, avoiding the need for carbon-intensive replacement cycles. As a result, the building’s embodied carbon footprint is 20% lower than a typical office. In line with the city’s ambition to be carbon neutral by 2030, City Hall also uses heat recovery, green roofs and low water volume appliances to reduce operational CO₂ emissions. In this way, the building not only honours Sunderland’s industrial heritage, but also embraces a sustainable future.
“Sometimes a project goes beyond meeting architectural aspiration to embody something truly meaningful. City Hall is both grand, yet personal. It’s dynamic, yet quiet. It’s private, and yet offers the warmest welcome to everyone. Setting a new bar for the public sector workplace, this project demonstrates what can be achieved with inspired vision.”
Northern Region Judges
British Council for Offices Awards

Related work

Culture House
Culture house sunderland proposed cgi visualisation of external facade 1x1
Metro Design Guide
Tyne and wear metro design guide monument station signage 3x2