Mott MacDonald appointed on Croydon cultural redevelopment project
Mott MacDonald has been appointed by the London Borough of Croydon as lead consultant on a project to regenerate the towns cultural quarter.
The consultancy will provide the overall multidisciplinary design for the project, with principal sub-consultants Rick Mather and Turley providing architectural and planning services.
The project will deliver a vibrant new scheme for the College Green area of Croydon, including a full-scale refurbishment of the arts, entertainment and conference centre Fairfield Halls. It will transform the building’s commercial capabilities, while being sympathetic to its original design and heritage. The refurbishment will include enhanced and enlarged foyer space with a frontage on College Green, a complete mechanical and electrical refit, improved disabled access and provision of new refreshment offerings. It will also improve the venue’s sound insulation, maintain its renowned acoustics and enhance the concert hall’s stage facilities and backstage access so that it can cater for larger and more diverse productions.
The wider development encompasses the entire city block and the scheme will provide a route to and from College Green and East Croydon rail station, quickly connecting visitors with landmarks such as Queens Gardens, the Clocktower, Surrey Street and the Exchange Quarter. The scheme will include the provision of shops, restaurants, residential accommodation and community and business spaces. Mott MacDonald will provide civil, structural, building services, acoustic and fire engineering together with project management and cost consultancy services on the project. The consultancy will develop a design for the scheme’s detailed planning application, which will include environmental and transport assessments as well as masterplan requirements.
Paul Bates, Mott MacDonald’s project director, said: “This is a wonderful opportunity on so many levels. As a locally based company, the regeneration of Croydon’s cultural quarter is of huge significance to so many of us who live and work in the town.”
“Mott MacDonald has helped develop some of the oldest and newest performing arts complexes and cultural centres in the world. We led the engineering design for The Sage in Gateshead, Cardiff’s Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and have held key roles on the Penarth Pier Pavilion in South Wales, the West Kowloon Cultural District in Hong Kong, Paris’ Cité Musicale and Singapore’s Star Vista. We will draw on this experience to help reinstate the Fairfield as one of the most prestigious entertainment venues in the UK,” Paul added.
