Knowle West Media Centre

The Knowle West Media Centre is designed to realise the creative potential of the people of this area. The community had a real involvement as part of the design team and the results speak for themselves – a much loved and multi award winning sustainable building.

The project
Knowle West Media works with the community to develop the creative potential of local people, providing office units, recording and photographic studios and a double height multifunctional gallery. Community involvement was key to the success of this project with a core group of young people helping to formulate the brief and interview design team members and contractors. Through workshops we were able to explain the design process and gain a better understanding of what they needed from the building.

The engineering challenges
The client demanded a welcoming and “green” building which had to be completed within a tight budget. To achieve this the team adopted an integrated approach to structure, architecture and services. By incorporating the latest carbon-negative thinking and engineering technologies the team has been able to produce a beautiful building with exceptional environmental performance.

The solutions
The building frame incorporates exposed concrete soffits to the first floor slab, which help to stabilise the internal temperature and allows free flow of air for natural cross ventilation. By using cement replacement in concrete mixes we have reduced embodied carbon. A highly insulated glulam beam roof provides an elegant exposed structure and gives the building a strong design identity. ModCell^® straw bale cladding, which is carbon negative on arrival to site, provides a “thermal blanket” for the whole building keeping energy use to a minimum. Each panel was sponsored by a local business, further increasing community involvement in the project and helping to raise funds. The building has won many awards already and was shortlisted for the Institute of Structural Engineers Sustainability Award.

Client Knowle West Media Centre
Architect White Design
M&E Engineer Ernest Griffiths
Contractor ER Hemmings
QS Ridge