BAM designed the iconic Community Hub to kickstart regeneration in the Somerstown area of Portsmouth. It hosts several facilities for local residents.
It conceived a tubular structure that spans over a main traffic route into Portsmouth City centre. The tube will give residents living on both sides of the road equal access to the Hub and allow as much green space as possible to be preserved.
Facilities within the three-storey hub will include a community centre, a youth centre, a primary care trust and dental surgery, a local housing office and a pedestrian bridge.
The community centre will have a number of lounges, a sports hall and a curved fully glazed double height community lounge at its centre. The local housing office is arranged in double height open plan format with a mezzanine floor gallery.
Fully glazed gable ends to the two upper floors provide views from both sides of the aluminium and timber tubular structure.
Existing mature trees were retained to create external piazza spaces at either end of the building. The Hub has achieved a BREEAM Excellent rating.
BAM developed the design through a series of detailed consultations with Portsmouth City Council, community groups, building occupiers and local neighbours.
Construction started on site in September 2012 and was completed in May 2014.