Sitting behind a new set of distinctive orange gates on Erith High Street in south-east London, 68 Erith Hub is a new multipurpose community centre.

It occupies a former commercial unit owned by Bexley Council, which had long sat empty. This has been transformed into a warm, welcoming environment for use by local families, businesses and community groups managed by local charity, the Greenwich Cooperative Development Agency.

The hub is divided into two key spaces – the Square and the Living Room – while also incorporating a kitchenette and bookable meeting room. Its seeks to support a wide range of neighbourhood uses from evening classes, or salsa sessions, exhibitions, after-school clubs, art displays, markets, play-spaces, cooking classes, local meetings and more.

Entry is from Erith High Street through the centre’s metal orange gates. These secure the centre while retaining permeability and giving it a distinct identity. Users arrive first in the Square – a space designed to blur the boundaries between interior and exterior, acting like a covered courtyard. As well as providing shelter it has charging points and a water fountain

Beyond this is the Living Room, a heated community room for wide-ranging uses. It is fitted out with a kitchenette finished in bright colours and with light timber cupboards. The space is softened by yellow curtains that can be used to divide the room, as well as comfortable furniture and lamps to enhance its domestic feel. A serving hatch connects the Living Room to the Square, allowing for larger catered events.

There are also two smaller rooms which are free to book for meetings, as well as toilets, including a Changing Places toilet for people with profound or multiple disabilities.

Alma-nac has minimised the use of carbon-intensive materials, opting for timber as a primary construction material and salvaging WC suites from other projects rather than using new ones. Where heating is needed, renewable energy is used, with air-source heat pumps delivering low-temperature heat through an underfloor system. The centre also has natural ventilation.

Architect’s view

Neither inside nor outside, the Square is a ‘third’ space that becomes an extension of the street while providing a usable area for events. The Square is a physical manifestation of the centre’s intention to both activate the high street and engage with the community, providing a safe space for all.
Caspar Rodgers, director, alma-nac

Client’s view

We are delighted that the design of 68 Erith Hub has ensured a broad flexibility of use, which will enable us to attract a broad range of users. The internal space is flexible, light, relaxed and spacious. The curtain allows for shared use, and it’s a perfect space for events.
Jane Downes, centre manager, Greenwich Cooperative Development Agency

 

Project data

Location Erith, London DA8
Start on site January 2025
Completion date June 2025
Gross internal floor area 186m2
Gross (internal + external) floor area 298m2
Form of contract Traditional
Construction cost £628,000
Construction cost per m2 £2,107
Architect Alma-nac
Client London Borough of Bexley
Structural engineer Whitby Wood
M&E consultant EDP Environmental
Quantity surveyor Stockdale
Gate supplier WC Gates
Principal designer Alma-Nac
CDM co-ordinator Alma-Nac
Approved building inspector Stroma
Main contractor Stonegrove
Airtightness at 50Pa 2.97 m3/h.m2
Annual CO2 emissions 15.8 kgCO2eq/m2
Energy Performance Certificate rating A
CAD software used ArchiCAD