Brent Civic Centre

Brent Civic Centre is the headquarters of Brent London Borough Council, situated on Engineers Way in the Wembley Park area of the London Borough of Brent. It was opened in 2013, replacing the former headquarters at Brent Town Hall located a mile north on Forty Lane.

Brent Civic Centre
Brent Civic Centre and Wembley Library in 2014
Brent Civic Centre
Location within London Borough of Brent
General information
TypeMunicipal headquarters
LocationEngineers Way, Wembley Park
Town or cityLondon
CountryUnited Kingdom
Coordinates51.5590°N 0.2815°W / 51.5590; -0.2815
Opened2013
OwnerBrent London Borough Council
Design and construction
ArchitectHopkins Architects
Main contractorSkanska

History

The building was commissioned to replace the aging Brent Town Hall.[1] The new building was designed by Hopkins Architects, who also designed Portcullis House at Westminster.[2] The building has been described by one journalist as "like ...the parliament of a small nation state."[3] It was built by Skanska and was opened in 2013.[4]

Most of Brent's civic and administrative functions and offices are based at the civic centre, which provides office space for 2,000 Brent staff. It is intended to provide most of the Council’s services in one place, other than its archives which are at The Library at Willesden Green, which is helped by its location being roughly in the centre of Brent. It also acts as a community hub, and includes a library, two cafés, entertainment spaces, meeting rooms and a wedding garden.[5]

Brent Civic Centre has been awarded a BREEAM 'Outstanding' rating. It reduces its carbon emissions by a third thanks to solar shading, natural ventilation and a combined cooling, heating and power using waste fish oil.[6][7]

In May 2015 the building had to be evacuated when an unexploded 50kg Luftwaffe bomb dating from the Second World War was uncovered by construction workers in Empire Way.[8]

References
  1. Historic England. "Brent Town Hall (1262141)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  2. "Brent Civic Centre". Architect's Journal. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  3. Wainwright, Oliver (3 June 2013). "Brent council's new £90m civic centre seen as machine for making money". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 14 August 2016.
  4. "Brent Civic Centre will open in 2013". Premier Construction News. 19 September 2012. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  5. "Brent Civic Centre". The Wedding Directory. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  6. "Brent Civic Centre". Hopkins Architects. Retrieved 14 August 2016.
  7. Brent Civic Centre guide for non-movers. London Borough of Brent. 2013.
  8. Kashmira Gander (21 May 2015). "Wembley bomb: Unexploded World War II device discovered by builders near national Stadium". The Independent. Retrieved 17 May 2020.
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