Community centre will help integrate new and existing residents in M4 corridor

RIBA Competitions has announced an international contest to design a community centre in a Berkshire village which is ear-marked for significant growth.

The parish of Shinfield in Berkshire lies in a strategic area south of the M4 and is set to have an extra 8,000 residents join its 11,200-strong community. As well as 3,500 new homes, the plans will add a district centre featuring a supermarket, two primary schools – and the community centre.

The parish and district councils want to find an architect-led multi-disciplinary team to design the community centre which will be a central feature of the new development and which the clients hope will bring the new and existing communities together.

Shinfield site image

The site for Shinfield’s new community centre

Peter Hughes, chairman of Shinfield Parish Council, said: “The successful team will demonstrate an innovative and practical approach to an exciting brief in a dynamic and rapidly changing local environment.”

A shortlist of five entries will be selected to participate in the design phase of the competition. Each of these finalists who submit a compliant tender and give a clarification interview presentation will receive an honorarium of £4,000.

Jonathan McDowell, of Matter Architecture, is acting as RIBA advisor. He said: “This is a fine opportunity for an excellent design team to work with the local community to help create an ambitious new focus at its heart, providing important shared facilities and an uplifting and enduring new hub for the people of Shinfield and the wider area.”

The deadline for expressions of interest is December 4.

Competition details here.