EDITED BY DAVID ADLER

METRIC
HANDBOOK
PLANNING
AND
DESIGN
DATA
SECOND EDITION Architectural
Press
21 Community centres
Jim Tanner
CI/SfB 532
Uniclass F532
Jim Tanner is a partner of Tanner and Partners
UDC 725.835

KEY POINTS: 2.02 Space requirements

• There is a need for a community facility in most areas Table I gives recommended floor areas for various functions and
• Existing centres are often inadequate activities.

Contents 2.03 Design

1 Introduction Community centres are multi-purpose buildings. Needs and
2 Planning and design priorities will often conflict; t h e s k i l l o f t h e d e s i g n e r i n
3 Elements of the plan consultation with the client, statutory authorities and specialists
4 Bibliography must be exercised so that a balance is struck. All the following
factors should be considered.

2.04 Structure and construction

1 INTRODUCTION Most new-build self-contained community centres are domestic in
scale. The most economic forms of construction are those used in
1.01 Briefing domestic building: solid ground floors, masonry load-bearing
By their nature community buildings must serve a variety of walls and lightweight flat roofs or framed pitched roofs. Alter-
functions among which are: native forms of construction are only occasionally justified: for a

• Meetings difficult site or when only a short-life building is required. In the

latter case, it is worth considering proprietary off-the-peg build-
• Child care (creche, day nursery, pre-school playgroup)
ings. The appearance of such a building is not always aesthetically
• Concerts andactivities
Childrens’ (scouts, guides)
pleasing, but there are exceptions. Where the community facilities
• Dances plays
• are to be accommodated in a larger building also used for other

• Parties and receptions purposes, structure and construction will be determined by the

• Sporting and leisure activities, and

Exhibitions wider considerations.

• Adult education. 2.05 Materials and finishes

• For self-contained community centres it is worth while designing
The client, such as a church or a local authority, may have its own for minimum maintenance, as upkeep funds are always limited.
specific requirements; but the financial viability of community Choice of finishes should be influenced by the following
facilities usually depends on letting them out to other organisa- considerations:
tions. At the briefing and planning stage it is wise to consider
activities which could or should be accommodated. Nature of use may dictate forms of construction and finish which
are non-standard. For example, when regular provision for dancing
1.02 Space requirement and arrangement (particularly classical ballet) or indoor sport such as badminton or
The following points should be borne in mind: gymnastics is required, the floor should provide some resilience
and specialist advice should be sought.
• Meetings can range from committee meetings of half a dozen
people to public meetings with an audience of a couple of
Durability: Some uses, particularly sporting activities, can be
exceptionally hard on surface finishes. The main hall may need to
hundred. If this range is anticipated then accommodation should
be equipped with retractable bleacher seating as used in sports
include one or two smaller meeting rooms as well as the main
hall.
• Child care and childrens’ activities invariably require storage
for furniture and equipment. If scouts use the facilities on a
access
deliveries
regular basis, for example, they are likely to need permanent
storage for camping equipment, such as tents and poles, and
cooking as well as games equipment.
entrance
• Some indoor sporting activities such as badminton, require
generous space provision. See Chapter 25. These are likely to
E

dictate the dimensions of the hall. meeting

toilets store kitchen access
room(s)
T S K
MR

2 PLANNING AND DESIGN

community
2.01 Relationships hall
The principal plan elements and their relationship to each other are CH
illustrated in 21.1. 21.2 and 21.3 are typical examples of the
type. 21.1 Elements of the plan of a community centre
21-1
 21-2 Community centres

l o b b y boiler

kitchen female male car parking

wc wc

store
hatch

store or
space
for hall (seating 134) foyer
stage

deliveries car
store or parking
office
store

meeting meeting
room room

porch

21.2 Church centre for St James’s Church, Finchampstead. Architects: Nye, Saunders & Partners

female
wc

entrance male
meeting
room wc
pulpit choir

store

narthex nave alter

hall
meeting organ
font
room

choir
vestry
kitchen

21.3 Community centre for St Francis Church, Westborough: an example of an addition to an existing building. Architects: Nye,
Saunders & Partners

centres and educational buildings. Pulling out and stacking back
such seating creates localised loading and wear. Resilient floors
are particularly vulnerable. The manufacturers of the seating and
of the floor finishes should be consulted at an early stage.
Safety: Users of a community centre range from small children to
elderly and disabled people. Finishes should be chosen with a
view to safety, all floors, ramps and steps should be non-slip.
Projections, sharp corners and angles should be avoided.
Cleaning: Community facilities get heavy use and limited
operating budgets. The building should be easy to clean.
2.06 Means of escape
Care in planning and signposting the means of escape in case of
fire is especially important because:
• The users, such as audiences at occasional concerts and
meetings will not be familiar with the building layout.
 Community centres 21-3

Table I Minimum floor areas for various activities Table II Requirements for child care

2 Comment
Function Area per person (m ) Item

Main hall: Child care:

Closely seated audience 0.46 (based on movable seats, usually armless, (creche, day nursery,
450 mm centre to centre; with fixed seating playgroup)
500 mm centre to centre will increase to 0.6 m2 ) Regulation Child care for children in their early years (generally
defined as under-8) usually comes within the Children
Dances 0.55 to 0.9
Act 1989 (see Section 3) and local authorities are
Dining 0.9 to 1.1
responsible for approving and registering facilities. Many
Creche, day nursery or 0–2 years 3.15 of these authorities provide published requirements and
pre-school playgroup 2–3 3 guidance on standards.
3–5 2.5
Staffing ratios 0–2 year olds 1:3
Children 5–8 years (out of 2.5 2–3 year olds 1:4
school and holiday schemes, 3–5 year olds 1:8
open access projects) (minimum staff 2)

Meeting rooms 2.25 up to 4 people Outdoor play A safe area with easy access from the building is a usual
2 6 people requirement
1.55 8–12 people The Pre-school Playgroups Association recommends that
Catering
1.25 20 people
children and adults should sit together during meals and
consequently separate dining accommodation for staff is
not required

• centre.
Small children are likely to be present in a creche or day care 2.10 Child care
Table II is a checklist of design considerations where creches, day
• Facilities
Elderly and disabled people may use the centre. nurseries or playgroups use the facility.
• people withfor learning
leisure or educational purposes may be used by
difficulties. 2.11 Disabled people
There are statutory regulations relating to access for disabled
Early consultation with the local fire authority is essential.
people. These apply not only those using wheelchairs but also
include people with visual and auditory impairments and those
2.07 Licensing using other types of walking aids. All these have difficulties with
A licence will be required for certain uses and these invariably steps and changes of direction, and the design of entrances,
have conditions attached. See Section 3. circulation spaces and toilets should take this into account.

2.12 Legislation
2.08 Noise
This is constantly changing. Table III gives some current examples
A community centre is more likely to generate than to suffer from
but is not exhaustive. The local authority will advise on the latest
high noise levels. They are commonly used at night and at the
requirements. It is particularly important to ensure full conformity
weekend, and are often situated within residential communities.
if the public are going to be charged for admission.
They must therefore be designed to avoid nuisance. Where uses
take place simultaneously, sound separation will be necessary
between a noisy activity such as a dance and one requiring relative
3 ELEMENTS OF THE PLAN
quiet such as a lecture.
The basic principles of acoustic design should be applied: 3.01 Entrance
This should be large enough to accommodate an influx of people,
• Orientation, e.g. location of entrances, exits and windows
relative to adjoining buildings
such as prior to a meeting or concert. Signposting should be clear
as many will be unfamiliar with the building. Unless there is a
• Layout separate goods entrance, it should allow for for bulk delivery of
• Shape of rooms
food and drink, display material and equipment. Consider the
• ventilation
Double glazing, only viable in association with mechanical

• Sound-absorbent finishes, balanced with requirements of dura-

bility and cleanability, and
Table III Legislation

• Landscaping, including trees, to contain external noise. Legislation Comment

Unless unavoidable, noise-producing spaces should not be located Places of Public Legislation requires that a licence is obtained for premises
alongside quiet spaces. Absorbent surfaces may have to be Entertainment which are to be used, regularly or occasionally for the
following purposes:
concentrated at ceiling level or provided by means of drapes and
wall hangings. Management can also play a significant part in • Public music or public music and dancing
controlling noise and this should be discussed with the client at an • Cinematograph
Public performance of plays
• exhibitions to which the public are admitted
early stage. on payment
• ofCinematograph exhibitions for children who are members
a cinema club

2.9 Security • Indoor sports entertainment

Community centres are more than usually vulnerable to break-ins
and vandalism as they do not have resident caretakers or 24–hour
surveillance, are not continuously occupied, are visited by a large
number of people, contain expensive equipment and are isolated
from other buildings. Requirements for security can conflict with
those of means of escape, so it is important to consult with experts
and local authorities.
Statutory requirements must be satisfied in terms of means of
escape in case of fire and other safety considerations.
Administered by the local authority
The Children Covers requirements for premises used by children in, for
Act 1989 instance, day nurseries, playgroups, creches, out-of-school
clubs, holiday play schemes, adventure playgrounds and
open-access projects.
Administered by the local authority
21-4 Community centres

arrangement of the doors, the durability of surfaces and easy 3.05 Kitchen
accesses to both the kitchen and the hall. There should be little need for more than a domestic kitchen. If
catered functions are expected, provide space for setting out and
final preparations. See Chapter 18.
3.02 Hall
For sports purposes refer to Chapter 25, and for other uses Chapter 3.06 Storage
20. A rectangular shape is likely to be suitable for a wider range of A separate store should be provided for each main use:
uses than a square or any other shape. If black-out is required, pay
special attention to size and location of windows; mechanical • Kitchen
ventilation may be needed. • sports
• Seating and other furniture
• Creche/kindergarden
3.03 Meeting rooms
If more than one, make them different sizes. Aternatively, have one
• Scouts.

The kitchen store should be directly accessible from the kitchen,

space that can be divided using sliding folding doors; although
the others from the hall. Storage space should be as generous as
some of these do not provide adequate sound insulation. At least
space and budget will allow.
one meeting room should have direct access to the hall.

3.07 Furniture
3.04 Toilets Refer to trade catalogues, and seek specialist advice.
Separate toilets will be needed for men, women and disabled
people. There may also be a need for smaller toilets for little
children. Unisex baby-changing facilities should be provided. If 4 BIBLIOGRAPHY
considerable sports usage is expected, showers will be necessary PPA Guidelines, published by the Pre-School Playgroups
for each sex. See Chapter 3. Association
METRIC HANDBOOK
PLANNING AND DESIGN DATA
Edited by DAVID ADLER BSc DIC DEng MICE Civil Engineering Consultant

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