Blithehale Health Centre, Shoreditch, London
This new-build primary care centre was formed within the vacant ground floor space of a multi-storey mixed-use development in central London. Our design included the layout within the defined perimeter boundary as well as the external envelope itself. The site also offered the challenge of being adjacent to the mainline approach into Liverpool Street station and minimal disruption to residents of the apartments over, who would remain in occupation during the construction period.
The Borough of Tower Hamlets is one of the most deprived in London and the new health centre offers a cheerful, optimistic and modern replacement to the service that had previously been provided by nearby GP surgeries from within adapted Victorian houses.
The street frontage has been designed to offer an attractive ‘shop-front’ and includes coloured glazing that helps to animate the façade. The coloured glass also enlivens the interiors and the same colours have been carried through to the interior and help provide delight to the deeper areas of the plan.
The scheme has been designed to permit maximum exploitation of daylighting whilst also ensuring both visual and acoustic privacy. It includes 8 GP consulting rooms, treatment rooms, staff accommodation as well as community and group rooms.
Client: Tower Hamlets Primary Care Trust
Construction value: £1.3m
Gross internal floor area: 1000m2
Completion: June 2010