Gateway Centre | Derby
2003–2005

Date
2003–2005

Name Of Project
Gateway Centre | Derby

Client’s Name
Derwent NDC & Derbyshire
County Cricket Club

Category
Public

Further to work on developing the Neighbourhood Plan for Derwent NDC, Fluid was appointed to develop the brief, support funding applications and prepare detailed designs for the area’s flagship regeneration project – a sport and community facility.

Following a successful bid to Sport England, Fluid was appointed for full architectural services to deliver the project.

The aim of the Gateway Centre was to bring together facilities needed by both the cricket club and the community under one roof sharing communal things such as changing rooms, halls, public spaces, offices and management structures together with a large multi-funtional indoor cricket academy.

Fluid worked closely with Derbyshire County Cricket Club, the Derwent Community Team and Sport England to develop a draft schedule of accommodation, which was then further refined by local residents at a number of public meetings.

The scheme is a deliberate amalgam of three quite distinct buildings – the timber clad sports stand, the polycarbonate skinned cricket academy and the colourful form of the neighbourhood hall, gym, crèche and café referred to locally as ‘the peanut’.

Fluid, the NDC team, local people and artist Fiona Deuchar collaborated on the design proposals with an overarching narrative of ‘drawing the community together’ – literally spelt out through the assembled architectures.

The schemer was shortlisted and later a runner-up in the 2006 Office of the Deputy Prime Minister Design Awards.