City Learning Quarter, Wolverhampton
The City Learning Quarter concept (CLQ) was developed by the City and Rock Townsend to bring together four key services on to the one site within the City centre - Adult Education Service, Wolverhampton College, the Central Library and the University.
Drawing on Wolverhampton’s rich architectural heritage this new Quarter embodies a group of late Victorian and early Edwardian buildings with the cornerstone of the development being the Grade II* Free Renaissance Central Library, opened in 1902.
The next step for CLQ is to house one whole campus of the City of Wolverhampton College from the current Paget Road site. The proposal will more than quadruple the accommodation available to the college on this site and enhance the council run Adult Education and Library services by offering shared facilities to all participating organizations.
The Council’s objectives are two-fold - to boost learner numbers from post 16 students to adults and offer growth and greater collaboration across services and, with significant capital investment in a key City centre site, stimulate economic town centre activity and showcase learning opportunities to visitors to the city.
RT led the briefing process to capture key aims and objectives of the stakeholder’s capital investment team to assisted in the development for an overall vision for the new umbrella CLQ organisation.
The briefing process took place over three consultation events each comprising up to fifty people representing the four organisations. The process helped enable a sense of collective authorship of the vision and collaborative working.
In parallel RT was able to extract individual needs and bring them together to develop a schematic spatial designs incorporating timetabling and occupancy rates. This detailed understanding of the client team enabled the masterplan of CLQ to both fulfil the educational needs as well as project a vision to revitalise the city quarter and promote city regeneration and improvement.
Illustrative sketch of new building on the corner of Bilston Street and Garrick Street
Central Library. Adaptations propose the relocation of the main public functions to ground level:
Computer suite moved downstairs to the former children’s library on the right hand side of the main entrance.
Children’s Library relocated to the 1930’s extension with dedicated outdoor space following demolition of two storey 1960’s staff block.
Adult Lending Library retained in current location at first floor level the following adaptations are proposed each served by new links and vertical circulation cores in the new build elements of the CLQ development:
Conversion of the panelled room into a conference centre for all users on the site with associated w.c.’s, furniture storage and kitchenette.
Reference library is available for secure use by the College as their Learning Resource Centre hours with dedicated i-Study and sixth form area in the adjoining first floor of the 1930’s extension.
Major remodel - 624 SqM; Minor remodel - 952 SqM; Refresh 1,019 SqM; New build - 55 SqM of 2,421SqM
Old Hall Street. Former Teacher Training College (now used by Adult Education Service) facing Old Hall Street, by T H Fleming & Son 1899, listed Grade II, designed in the Arts and Crafts style:
New build bridge connections at first floor level will improve the connection of this building to other parts of the CLQ site.
The subdividing partitions within the stacked Halls to the rear will be removed so these might once again be used as Performance spaces.
The former caretaker’s flat will be opened up to create larger teaching spaces that compliments the six existing classrooms facing Old Hall Street.
Major remodel - 606 SqM; Minor remodel - 307SqM; Refresh 338SqM; New build - 37SqM. of 1,288SqM
Foyer Building. No.1 Old Hall Street / 17 St George’s Parade, 3 storey, earliest surviving (mid 19th C) building in the vicinity in the Georgian tradition; next to 2 storey Victorian workshop building facing Old Hall Street.
The public facades of these buildings were carefully restored as a part of their conversion to use by
the Adult Education Service in 2004 as part of a major new building known as the Foyer. The main adaptations will be to connect the first floor bridge link along the rear and then through the two storey wing and across Old Hall Street to the Stonham Housing block. The café and kitchen at ground floor will be striped out to create a large teaching space.
Major remodel - 190 SqM; Minor remodel - 137 SqM; Refresh 1,070 SqM; New build - 40 SqM. of 1,437SqM
Metro One. New 4storey building from 2004 which gives the
college a city centre presence for vocational courses including Hair & Beauty, Hospitality & Catering. The public facing Hair Salon and Student Services are at ground level with the Academy Restaurant, Bakery Shop and associated kitchens are at first floor.
Proposed adaptations involve the stripping out of specialist teaching facilities once new large rooms are built elsewhere to create general teaching spaces. A new build extension in the gap that forms the covered way will provide a Beauty Salon adjoining the existing space for Hair
Major remodel - 413 SqM; Minor remodel - 472SqM; Refresh 1,622 SqM; New build - 115SqM. of 2,780SqM
Alan Garner Centre. Former Special School by T H Fleming 1902, designed in similar style to the former Teacher Training School. The building has undergone a major renovation in the last ten years, including the insertion of a new stair and lift, so only minor decorative improvements are proposed.
St George Parade Building. Two/three storey mid 19th century building in the Gothic style, currently converted into short stay housing units by Stonham Home Group with two storey office block in yard dating from 2004.
The interiors to be substantially remodelled to create teaching accommodation for the Adult Education Services. Demolition of recent office block to allow the construction of new glazed bridge links and stair and lift core.
Alan Garner Centre
St George Parade Building
Illustrative sketch of new Engineering block adjoining Mount Bethel Chapel facing St George’s Parade.
Description: Mixed-use Adult Education Services, the Central Library and Wolverhampton College. Part new-build and part refurbish.
Client: City of Wolverhampton Council
Site: 1.23Ha
Floor Area: 15,045 SqM
Value: c.£40m
Status: Stage 0-2
Design Team: Perfect Circle
Landscape Arch.: MODE
RT Team: Mark Gabbey, Richard Sharp, Peter Phillipps
