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Clarke
A new political monument
University of Cambridge | nominated for the RIBA president's medals
The destruction of Walworth Town Hall, Southwark, in the fire of 2013 provided the opportunity to replace the former Victorian building with a new scheme that highlighted the importance of civic function and political exchange. The proposed scheme rehouses the council offices, one-stop shop and public library in addition to a local history museum to the rear of the site. At the heart of the building, the debating chamber - the ‘political core’ - provides a constant reminder of the political ritual at the centre of civic life.
Key to the design of the new scheme was a sense of legibility that would allow members of the public to easily locate functions within the building. The structural grid forming the basis of the plan provides this sense of coherence. The monumental material language of the building is built up from this grid as a series of load-bearing brick walls and concrete pillars.
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