City Hall, Sunderland Explained

City Hall
Owner:Sunderland City Council
Coordinates:54.9079°N -1.3862°W
Map Type:Tyne and Wear
Architect:FaulknerBrowns Architects
Engineer:Cundall
Construction Start Date:2019
Completion Date:September 2021
Cost:£42 Million

City Hall is a municipal building in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, England. It is located on the Vaux Site, adjacent to Keel Square,[1] and was opened in November 2021.[2] It is the headquarters of Sunderland City Council.

History

The new building was commissioned to replace the old Sunderland Civic Centre which had been the home of the council since 1970.[3] The council estimated that it would cost £5 million to refurbish the old civic centre and therefore decided to procure a new structure instead.[4]

Construction of the new glass and steel structure started in November 2019.[5] It was designed by FaulknerBrowns and built by Bowmer + Kirkland at a cost of £42 million.[6] [7] The development was financed by Legal & General as part of a larger programme of investment in the city totalling £100 million.[8] [9] The design includes two office blocks, one of five storeys and the other of six storeys, connected by a glass atrium, facing onto St Mary's Way.[10] The total area covered by the building is .[11] The contractual arrangements envisaged some areas being made available to accommodate the housing provider, Gentoo, and the Department for Work and Pensions as well as Sunderland City Council.[12]

Progress was delayed by two months because of the COVID-19 pandemic but recommenced in May 2020.[13] However, the topping out of the building was completed by civic leaders in August 2020,[14] and it opened to the public on 29 November 2021.[2]

Notes and References

  1. News: How Sunderland's Vaux site is taking shape as City Hall reaches 'landmark' moment. 3 March 2020. Chronicle Live. 3 April 2021.
  2. News: Exclusive - a first look inside Sunderland's new £42m City Hall. Sunderland Echo. 25 November 2021. 3 December 2021.
  3. News: Why struggling English councils are spending millions on new offices. 8 May 2019. Financial Times. 20 November 2020.
  4. News: Destruction of brutalist architecture in north of England prompts outcry. The Guardian. 3 January 2021. 29 March 2021.
  5. News: Sunderland City Council spends £10,500 on 'impressive' cafe revamp at Civic Centre - despite preparing to move into £42 million new building. 3 January 2020. Sunderland Echo. 29 March 2021.
  6. News: B+K wins £42m Sunderland City Hall contract. 23 October 2019. PBC Today. 20 November 2020.
  7. News: B+K wins £42m landmark Sunderland civic hall. 23 October 2019. Construction Enquiror. 20 November 2020.
  8. News: Investment group L&G makes £100m investment to trigger transformation of Sunderland. 21 November 2019. Chronicle Live. 3 April 2021.
  9. News: Legal & general to transform Sunderland Skyline. 24 March 2021. North East Times Magazine. 3 April 2021.
  10. News: Sunderland City Hall. Steelconstruction.info. 29 March 2021.
  11. Web site: Footage gives stunning glimpse of progress on City Hall. Riverside Sunderland. 3 April 2021.
  12. News: See Sunderland's new City Hall rise into skyline on old Vaux site. Sunderland Echo. 4 March 2021. 3 April 2021.
  13. News: Work restarts on new Sunderland City Hall as lockdown eases - with 'safety first' promise from chiefs. 12 May 2020. Sunderland Echo. 3 April 2021.
  14. News: Construction of new Sunderland City Hall reaches topping out. 3 August 2020. Northern Echo. 3 April 2021.

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