St Neots Creative Exchange: sustainable building for entrepreneurs
Some kinds of project would never have been thought of 10 years ago. Creative Exchange in St Neots, Cambridgeshire, is one of them.
Hub of activity
Creative Exchange has become a beacon for exhibitions, training and events.
Creative Exchange, St Neots, Cambridgeshire by 5th Studio © Tmothy Soar
The building serves as an incubator for local creative businesses. St Neots aims to be a hub for creative industry, and provide training and support to students and local people.
The client, Huntingdonshire District Council, wanted a contemporary workspace that was both architecturally imaginative and environmentally sustainable. It secured £700,000 growth area funding for the project from Communities and Local Government (CLG). The package included advice from CABE on the procurement of the design.
The council’s officers had no experience of commissioning architecture, and Corinne Garbett, head of people, performance and partnerships, welcomed CABE’s strategic advice at an early stage: ‘That advice helped us to articulate our ambitions for a well-designed and sustainable building.’ CABE’s enabler Peter Beard advised the council on writing a clear design brief and then shortlisting and selecting the design team, 5th Studio, in 2006.
The client quickly realised, though, that the initial budget was too low: they needed an additional £300,000 for a building that could meet high sustainability targets, contribute directly to the community, and exemplify design quality. Peter Beard’s understanding of the project helped to develop a strong business case to support negotiations with CLG.
‘CABE played an important role in securing the additional funding,’ says Corinne Garbett. ‘We now have a building that contributes directly to local economic prosperity.’
Creative Exchange has been shortlisted for the 2009 Prime Minister’s Better Public Building Award. ‘West Cambridgeshire has seen nothing like this before,’ said the judges.’ Creative Exchange has become a beacon for exhibitions, training and events.’
CABE’s advice helped us to articulate our ambitions for a well-designed and sustainable building. It played an important role in securing the additional funding and we now have a building that contributes directly to local economic prosperity.
Corinne Garbett, head of people, performance and partnerships, Huntingdonshire District Council
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