Projects

The town of Hebburn experienced economic hardship after the downturn of its shipbuilding and metalwork industries. Hebburn Central library and sports facility was the first phase of a bold scheme by South Tyneside Council to revitalise the area, providing economic, social and health benefits to the local community.

The building merges previously disconnected community facilities together into one centrally located entity. A comprehensive leisure centre is integrated with a library, children’s play area, an outdoor artificial sports pitch and the local council’s customer service centre.

The energy-efficient outer shell of the building celebrates the industrial heritage of the site through its oxidised steel frame and insulated timber panels. Inside, glass in the pool hall reduces the building’s heating load. In addition, waste heat generated in the fitness suite is used to heat the pool water, creating an environmentally sensitive design solution.

This cultural venue hosts exhibitions, glass-making demonstrations and family crafts. Following its acquisition by the University of Sunderland, we were commissioned to breathe new life into the destination. The improved, intuitive layout has allowed for a variety of arts and cultural programmes and has increased visitor numbers.

Working with the university and Arts Council, we centred the design process around visitor experience, aiming to provide a reinvigorated cultural destination. We created an easily-navigable landscape of galleries, interactive lecture facilities and creative teaching studios.

This project was particularly interesting because it posed the challenge of creating a community facility in the commercial environment of Westfield shopping centre.

As with all FaulknerBrowns’ library projects, we sought to reimagine the traditional library typology and cater to a diverse set of users. In addition to quiet study areas, we designed warm and welcoming spaces for social interaction, modern IT facilities, meeting and exhibition spaces, and a dedicated children's activity area.

Visually, the building has a curved glass facade, maximising natural light and creating an inviting environment to passers-by. The success of this project was demonstrated by the 50% increase in books borrowed in the six months after opening, alongside a 300% increase in new members.

Walthamstow Library was a deteriorating Grade II-listed building with declining visitor numbers. FaulknerBrowns were selected to carry out a full refurbishment and extension to modernise it and attract a more diverse audience.

To ensure the new library met the needs of all local demographics, we carried out a thorough public consultation process to help refine our approach for the scheme. Our design solution provided a stimulating and innovative facility.

We replaced the existing 1980s entrance with a striking, glazed lobby with decorative terracotta tiles that blend historic materials with contemporary design. We also created a dedicated children’s library extension and undertook substantial renovation of the remainder of the building, including accessibility improvements. The modernisation of the facility led to book loans increasing by 350%.