Introduction
The Brief: introduction
Aims
Precedent Projects
Consultation Process
The Winch
History
Ethos
Purpose
Aspirations
The Brief: in depth
Principles
Areas
Specifications
Internal
External
Summary
The Site
The Building
The Locality
The Community
Overview
Partners
Users
Excited?
Appendices
our space
Design Brief
1
our space
[The Winch]
Design Brief
Introduction
This design brief aims to outline our ambitions and expectations for the refurbishment of
21 Winchester Road, our base. It is the culmination of several months of hard work,
incorporating children and young people, local residents and businesses, staff and
volunteers and an array of professionals offering expertise, skills, time and opinions. It
has been a process which has raised our aspirations, widened our horizons and acted
as a catalyst in challenging, changing and improving our work and mission.
The winChangers initiative, as it has been named, is not about a standard refurbishment
programme. It is about a renewal, of which the building is both the embodiment and the
symbol, and which improves and increases our capacity for working with children and
young people. In considering the (re)design of our building, the architect should bear in
mind that we want the Winch to be a world-class facility for children and young people.
Our building is an enormous part of making this happen.
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The Winch
History
The Winch is a youth and children’s charity based in Swiss Cottage, northwest London.
We have been working in our local area and across Camden since 1973, when the
council-owned building we are based in was squatted by a group of sixth formers,
counting amongst their number Peter Mandelson. The council claimed it was unsafe, and
attempted to evict the young squatters, but when they had renovated the building they
were allowed to stay. Since then, the Winch - or
the Winchester Project, as it is also known - has
“We inspire, challenge
carved out a reputation as a radical grassroots
and affirm children and
organisation working with children and young
young people in building
people most let down and let out by society.
relationships, enriching
community and fulfilling
their potential.”
Ethos
The Winch is many things to many people: a safe
place to come, a space for creativity and play, a
resource for individuals and groups, a support for
low-wage or lone parents and families, an open door for the many children and young
people who have fallen through the patchwork of referrals, signpostings and fragments
of a broken welfare and youth justice system. We welcome all to participate in building
and experiencing a better way of living, of community.
In this sense, our ethos is one which combines care and service, with creativity and
determination. At the heart of our work is an ethic of justice: a belief that all children,
young people and members of wider society deserve the love, energy, resources and
time which make life fuller and better. We challenge inequality and exclusion, since long
before they became buzzwords in the corridors of power. We believe that a more fair
and just society is achieved through creativity, imagination, hard work and synergy. To
this end, we invite businesses, communities,
“At the heart of our work families, groups and individuals from all
perspectives and sectors to
is an ethic of justice: a backgrounds,
experience community at the Winch.
belief that all children,
young people and
members of wider
society deserve the love,
energy, resources and
time which make life
fuller and better.”
Purpose
Our purpose is to make a difference in the lives of
children and young people, and in so doing to
build community and improve the quality of life for
all in our local area. Our mission statement is:
‘We inspire, challenge and affirm children and
young people in building relationships, enriching
community and fulfilling their potential.’
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We have three main departments: Play, Sport and Youth.
These are supported and enhanced by two further
departments: Enterprise and Support. A brief description of
each department is below; further detail is included later on.
Play works with children from 4 to 12 years old, providing a
daily after-school provision and all-day playschemes during
school holidays.
Sport works with all ages, from 4 years old upwards with a
focus on girls and women. It incorporates exercise, fitness and
sports sessions, coaching and training opportunities and a wide
range of events and tournaments.
Youth works with young people from 11 to 25 years old,
running drop-in youth clubs, mentoring sessions, detached and
schools outreach work and offsite activities and residentials.
Enterprise is about exploring new ways of dovetailing financial
sustainability and service delivery. It is concerned with finding
initiatives which enable the organisation to move away from
grant dependency into autonomy, whilst providing opportunities
and partnerships to enrich and grow our provision.
Support enables the organisation to run, takes responsibility for
practical tasks and includes the strategic overview and direction
of the organisation. It manages the building, finances and other
legal regulations and requirements.
“Every year, around 2,000 different people
come through our doors, several hundred
of which are children and young people we
work with on a regular basis.”
Every year, around 2,000 different people come through our
doors, several hundred of which are children and young people
we work with on a regular basis. We have a strong commitment
to children, young people and families who have been let down
and left out by society. Of our currently registered Play users,
only 28% have a parent in full-time employment. 90% of our
users are from black and minority ethnic communities. Over
15% of our users have learning difficulties, and last year 20% of
our young people were ex-young offenders.
4
Aspirations
We want to complement and
transform the perception,
personality and profile of the
Winch, combining our ethos and
history with a progressive
strategy for renewal and service,
integral to our refurbishment. To
this end, the Winch will be:
• A centre which brings
together excellent quality
and grassroots work.
• A family that embraces new
ideas and invites all to
participate in its life.
• A dynamic, enterprising
organisation that remains
approachable and wellgrounded.
• A stable charity that takes
risks and pursues innovation.
• An articulate, consistent,
well-informed and respected
voice in public discourse.
• A company that is driven by
a hospitable, community
and socially responsible
ethic.
• A place ultimately driven by
and effective in bringing
about the vision of a better
world.
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The Site
The Building
The building never fails to intrigue those
who pass through our does: it is
deceptively spacious, architecturally
beautiful, bizarrely unconventional,
wonderfully atmospheric. Its history is
part of the fabric: a chaotic but
intentional space for children and
young people.
21 Winchester Road
The building has five floors1, each with
an internal area of approximately
175m2, with an additional 10.3m2
extension on the ground floor. The floor
heights vary from level to level, and are
included below:
The Basement (2.4m) is the current site
of our youthwork provision comprising
a spacious, if dank, room with a disused
kitchen and aging posters. It also has a
toilet-cum-cupboard, a working toilet,
and a much-used but poorly resourced music studio. The boiler takes the space of a
small room, with additional storage areas built in behind the walls.
The Ground Floor (3.99m) is is the current site of our play provision comprising a large,
open, light room with a serving counter and various areas for different activities. The old
‘Off Road Training’ suite is now storage, as is the small box-like kitchenette in the main
room. The entrance hall is desked and often messy, and various cupboards hide under
the stairs, accessible through double-doors.
The Adventure Playground is a small square of land immediately outside, but not
accessible from, the Ground Floor. It contains a summerhouse, a basic adventure
playground structure, an improvised basketball hoop and soft matting.
The First Floor (3.92m) is the current site of the Mandelson Room, a popular space often
described as a dance studio, due to its flooring and mirrors. It is used by internal and
external groups, and contains storage space for mats and sports equipment, as well as
punchbag brackets. There is also the Games Room, invariably used by children for
various games and activities, men’s and women’s toilets, and a high-ceilinged cupboard
housing everything from paint to toilet rolls to gazebos.
1
Full existing floor plans can be found in the Appendices.
6
The Second Floor (3.00m) is the current site of the Common Room, a generic space for
a wider variety of community groups and meetings, and the occasional lunchtime for
children during our holiday playschemes. It includes a large kitchen and rentable office
space overlooking the park, across the stairwell.
The Third Floor (2.81m) is the current site of a labyrinth of offices: the main office, the
‘school room’, the proposed ‘eco-room’, two box-offices, a hallway, a stationery
cupboard, as well as a kitchen and oversized bathroom.
The Roof is a butterfly roof built in the same style as the properties in the adjoining
Victorian terrace.
In all of these spaces, there is a constant sense of what is possible, yet what is actual.
The building feels tired and run down often suffering from some form of damage: a
leak, wear and tear, a hole in the wall, worn carpet, discoloured walls. However, the
sense of space gives rise to a different perspective: the size of rooms, the height of
ceilings, the width of the stairwell. One consistently feels that if we get the building right,
the consequences could be remarkable.
Clockwise, from top left; the main
basement area, the second floor
‘Common Room’, the first floor
‘Mandelson Room’ and the basement
music studio.
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The Locality
The Winch is located in Swiss Cottage, a
challenging and changing area in northwest
Camden. In recent years, major
redevelopment has brought property
development, a new leisure centre,
community centre and library, and an
improved theatre. Yet despite this, the
evergreen inequality which is found so
frequently across our capital remains strong.
The affordable has been replaced with the
unaffordable, the accessible with the
inaccessible, as children, young people,
families and individuals on low or no income
are excluded from
“The site needs services and
intended
what the Winch privileges
for all.
Front view
Side view
offers: a place
radically
committed to
building
community.”
The Winch nestles at
the junction between
multi-million pound
houses, a gentrified
open space and the
Chalcot estate, one
of the ten most
deprived estates in the borough. The
proximity of social housing and private
properties hides the complex of issues which
challenge our community: unemployment,
health problems and escalating anti-social
behaviour and crime, in particular amongst
young people.
Change has altered the social as much as
the physical landscape, and it is into this
Back view
void that we step. The Winch has an
opportunity to offer an intentional space into
which all can enter, grow and benefit. In an increasingly fractious and fractured
community, where place-shapers and community-planners have delivered an impressive
vision, the reality is that exclusion is more of a challenge, not less. The site needs what
the Winch offers: a place radically committed to building community.
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View from the air; Swiss
Cottage open space, skirted by
Finchley Road (right) and the
Chalcot estate (left).
The Community
Overview
Our surrounding area is an intriguing one, in which the common inequalities of London
are evident. Census statistics mask huge disparities between different groups within the
locality. Our area is a melange which includes all range of ethnicity, race and religion,
which ranges from no to low to high income, no to low to high education, Daily Star to
Guardian readership, and the list goes on.
The community which we are part of and strive to serve is diverse in many ways: at the
Winch, we look to provide a space into which all can enter, grow and benefit. This is in
no small way an ongoing response to the needs and desires expressed by local people,
most recently in a 2008 survey carried out by Swiss Cottage Area Partnership. In this
community study the highest cited priority (23%) was for ‘better community spirit’ and
‘more community events’. We are well positioned to facilitate this growth in social trust
and communal life which local people have identified as their key concern.
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Partners
We have a wide range of partners, some of which are established agencies with whom
we have a long-term relationships, others of which are emerging or fledgling
partnerships exploring new opportunities. A joined-up, integrated way of working and
thinking is central to our development, and we are proactive in leading and
participating in joint ventures.
Established partners centre around our locality and in-house departments, including
standalone agencies and area partnerships which we have a longstanding relationships
with.
Belsize Local Area Forum
Belsize Residents Association
Belsize Safer Neighbourhoods Team
Camden Play Service
Camden Youth Service
Camden Primary Care Trust
Central School for Speech & Drama
George Eliot School
Hampstead Theatre
Holy Trinity, Swiss Cottage
Holy Trinity School
Kilburn Youth Station
Middlesex Football Association
South Hampstead & Kilburn Community Partnership (SHAK)
St Mary the Virgin, Primrose Hill
St Mary’s Centre Community Trust
St Peter’s, Belsize Park
St Saviour’s, Chalk Farm
Swiss Cottage Area Partnership (Chair)
Swiss Cottage Community Association
Swiss Cottage Festival Association
Swiss Cottage Leisure Centre
Swiss Cottage Library
Swiss Cottage Local Area Forum
Swiss Cottage Safer Neighbourhoods Team
United Football Partnership (Founder)
Voluntary Action Camden
Fledgling partnerships include all manner of possibilities: some are at inception, some
are starting and others have already delivered. They include one-off or short-term
initiatives, albeit which can be built on, and longer-running projects. In developing and
expanding our networks, we’re interested in how the Winch mirrors this widening of the
circle, to work more efficiently, imaginatively and effectively. Some partners below are
highlighted in orange: these are significant stakeholders in the renewal of our building
and further information about our partnership is included in The Brief: overview |
Consultation Process.
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Anna Freud Centre (UCL)
Arthur Potts Dawson (Acorn House Restaurant, Kings Cross)
Aviva
Blick Rothenberg
Business In The Community
Camden Federation of Tenants & Residents Associations
Camden Plus Credit Union
Centre for Youth Ministry, Cambridge
Families In Focus (Camden)
Gaia Group
Global Generation
Investors In People
Kids Company
Music And Change (MAC-UK)
Pan Intercultural Arts
Pre-School Learning Alliance
The Glass House
The Hub, Kings Cross
Funding partners are a slightly different category, but relevant insofar as they support
our work, development and aspirations for the future.
BBC Children In Need
Belsize Fun Run
Belsize Local Area Forum
Belsize Residents Association
Camden Play Service
Camden Youth Service
Fitzdale Trust
Football Foundation
Hampstead Wells & Campden Trust
Help A London Child
Partners For Improvement in Camden
Swiss Cottage Area Forum
Swiss Cottage Community Chest
Various contributions and private donations
A number of our partners’ logos can be seen on the next page, under Users.
Users
The Winch is used by a variety of individuals and groups from within the Winch, as well
as the wider community.
The Winch
• Play: a 4-12s provision using the Ground Floor and various other floors on a daily
basis. During holidays, when up to 60 children attend, Play takes over much of the
building.
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• Sport: an all-age provision using the Mandelson Room for activity sessions, the
Common Room for training and various offsite locations.
• Youth: an 11-25s provision primarily using the basement and studio with other
spaces as required.
It is important to clarify that usage of the spaces as outlined above is partly related to
the operations of different departments (appropriate space, resources of the
department, timetabling and availability) and partly to the current standing of different
departments (which vary in their aspirations, development and efficiency).
In-House Organisations
• Families In Focus: full-time usage of second floor office, regular usage of Common
Room and adjacent kitchen for meetings and sessions.
• Music And Change: full-time usage of third floor office and regular usage of
counseling room and third floor kitchen.
Building Users
• academic/educational institutions
• dance, fitness and martial arts groups
• wellbeing, welfare and support groups
• various forum, networking and partnership meetings
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Below: a number of
our partners’ logos,
including funders
(bottom line).
The Brief: introduction
Aims
The Winch is housed in a Victorian building with five floors. We are seeking to restore
and renew our building and facilities in order to respond to a constantly evolving
environment and accommodate creativity and innovation in our approach, our
community, our services and our agenda.
We are aware that developments across various sectors relevant to our work with the
local community (in design, entrepreneurship and place-shaping to name but a few)
have come at the same time as legislation such as the Disability Discrimination Act and
the deterioration of our building. To this end, we are presented with an extraordinary
opportunity to take these many pieces as parts in a puzzle which can inform and guide
us, along with those we work with in our surrounding area: in fact, the renewal of our
building will itself exemplify an approach, a way of working.
Bringing together different disciplines and expertise, thinking creatively about solving
our problems, encouraging an aspirational approach to our present and future plans,
engaging children and young people in authentic consultation and challenging old
attitudes towards and within voluntary sector organisations are at the heart of this
project. However, these aims - whilst to be embodied in a blueprint and concrete reality
for our building - are not limited to architectural design or structural works, but are the
expression of our ethos and service in the local community. In short, we are
endeavouring to refurbish and change our building, in a way which seeks to
accommodate, encourage and incite a refreshed approach to our work. These ideals
should inform the design, funding sources and potential of the building project, as both
an embodiment of and a springboard for our vision.
Precedent Projects
The Winch has attempted on numerous occasions to
refurbish the building, most recently through an
application submitted to the government’s myPlace
programme. This was the culmination of several
years of design work, spanning back to around
2000. The need for a renewal of the building,
primarily with a view to Disability Discrimination
Act compliance, has been a longstanding concern.
The myPlace application was unsuccessful for a
number of reasons. Two cited reasons were a lack
of wider consultation (outside of our own
organisation) and a lack of clarity around
budgeting for a proposed eco-room. In revisiting
the consultation process, our feeling has been that
the precedent project failed to aspire, challenge or
change the capacity of the building to achieve
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more, and that it represented first and foremost regulatory compliance, rather than the
‘world-class’ mantra of myPlace.
We do not anticipate applying to myPlace again as there has not been an indication
that the fund will continue. However, our belief is that The Winch should be looking to
raise the bar and improve our work to as great a degree as possible, regardless of
funding guidelines or external advice. It is this commitment to our vision which sets apart
the current programme from previous projects.
Consultation Process
We have worked with The Glass House and a number of other professionals to consult
our communities and collect information about the overall process and project. It has
been an organic process of to-ing and fro-ing, filling in missing gaps and responding to
the need for better or further information as this has emerged. In chronological order, it
has included:
i. Previous Work Various information-gathering and consultation exercises had
been conducted previously, both for the precedent project and with a wider
focus. This included work done for the myPlace application, and a community
consultation carried out by the Swiss Cottage Area Partnership.
ii. Preliminary Consultation Also before the Glass House came on board, different
staff members and departments within The Winch undertook informal
consultation with children and young people around the needs and aspirations
for the building. This included young people from outside of the organisation,
and a brief report was produced on behalf of the Youth department. An
organisation called Youth Mark (specialising in youth-led quality assurance for
youthwork agencies) also undertook an audit of the organisation, the report on
which is pending. In-depth workshops with each staff team and the Board of
Trustees was facilitated on a pro-bono basis by Andrew Miller, an organisational
change consultant.
iii. Area Survey We carried out an area survey, asking local people (both within
and outside the organisation) what their impressions of the area, the Winch and
their thoughts on the strengths and weaknesses of the local area were. A
substantial amount of information was gained at the Swiss Cottage Area
Festival, and the survey was also circulated across local networks (including
Swiss Cottage Area Partnership members and Kilburn Youth Providers Group)
and completed by local councillors. A brief report was produced detailing the
outcomes of the survey, and providing a basis for further research and
information-gathering.
iv. Core Group Workshop A As part of the process supported by The Glass House,
a workshop was convened bringing together opinion-shapers and key
stakeholders within the organisation and local community. This included
departmental members (users/staff members/volunteers), Trustees of the Board
and local people, including a councillor. The ‘core group’ spent this day
outlining successes and failures of the existing building, learning about the
14
design and consultation process, and establishing a strategy for full community
engagement.
The core group gets to
grips with a workshop
led by The Glass House
and supported by East.
i. Internal (Departmental) Consultations Following Core Group Workshop A, a
range of in-house consultations took place using different media. This included
with children, young people and parents, involving conversation/interview
(question and answer), discussion groups, drawings and video.
Sifting through our
history has proved
helpful in identifying
our aspirations for
the future.
ii. External Consultations Other agencies were also invited to participate in the
process, including local organisations. Staff members from Greenwich Leisure
Limited (Swiss Cottage Leisure Centre), Hampstead Theatre, Music And Change,
Swiss Cottage Community Centre, Swiss Cottage Library local councillors and
local police contributed to consultation.
iii. Site Visits In order to gather information and consider different ideas and
approaches as part of the refurbishment, we organised a number of visits to
sites which were known for an alternative or innovative approach to work and
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design. To this end, we took groups to the Bromley-By-Bow Centre2 in east
London, Kids Company3 in south London and Open4 in Norwich. We also made
contact and had conversations with a number of other organisations.
We visited OPEN,
deemed ‘Britain’s
first luxury youth
club’ by the
Independent
newspaper. Project
director Russ Dacre,
says “Quite often
young people are
given the worst. It's
like, 'Oh, we
haven't got a use
for this, perhaps we
could let young
people use it.'
OPEN is the flipside
of that. It's saying
'This is the best, and
this is for youth.”
i. Core Group Workshop B Our core group was reconvened following this sixweek period of consultation and information-gathering. Findings and
observations were shared and the group took a focused approach to addressing
different elements of the design brief. Remaining gaps in knowledge and
information were identified and responsibility for addressing these was
allocated.
ii. Departmental Surveys As a summary exercise, departmental staff filled out a
survey explaining the general, minimum and maximum needs as regards space
in order to room their current and envisioned services. This was to tie together
the practical requirements of Play, Sport and Youth alongside the variety of
aesthetic and aspirational feedback accumulated during the process.
iii. Ongoing consultation & conversations In a sense, the consultation process never
stops. We remain open to new ideas and suggestions, different sites or projects
to visit, and the input from architects and design professionals who have further
insight or advice.
2
http://www.bbbc.org.uk/
3
http://kidsco.org.uk/
4
http://www.open247.org.uk/
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The process was overseen by Jack Target (winChangers Coordinator on a voluntary
basis) and Paul Perkins (Director) and supported by The Glass House, East Architects
and other professionals. Meetings between these participants undergirded the process
and provided direction and expertise in supplementing information, understanding the
process and asking the right questions.
Apart from the events described above the development of new partnerships, with a
particular view to design input or future services, proceeded. Our list of partners can be
seen above, but for significant consideration were the contributions of:
Arthur Potts Dawson Chef and social entrepreneur Arthur Potts Dawson visited The
Winch to look at the viability of a ‘social enterprise cafe’, and a number of other
possibilities were discussed, including a music lounge/youth cafe in the basement, a
bistro-style restaurant at ground level (and/or a built-in below-counter kitchen) and
‘Winch On Wheels’ (a healthy ‘meals on wheels’ equivalent serving the local area and
utilising the second-floor kitchen).
Gaia Group Howard Liddell, Principal of Gaia Group spoke with the Board about the
challenges and opportunities for our new build. His observations around ‘fundraising for
the build being the easy part’ (rather than financially sustaining the building thereafter)
was of particular note.
Global Generation Jane Riddiford, founder-director of Global Generation spoke with
the Board about the environmental sustainability and ongoing viability of the build and
the need for integrating private, statutory and voluntary sectors in a joint enterprise for
developing provision and having a real impact on the lives of young people. She also
talked about the need for Board members to be close to and have some experience of
ground-level work.
The Hub, Kings Cross Extensive conversations have progressed with The Hub, a dynamic
social enterprise with several international locations which brings together like-minded
professionals to build a better world through their respective careers and projects. The
opportunity for such a ‘hub’ of activity, providing staff workspace, supporting local
business, dovetailing with children and young people’s services and establishing
financial sustainability, is an attractive and intelligent proposal.
The design brief has emerged from this series of collaborations, consultations and
conversations and represents the culmination of a far-reaching and wide-ranging number
of activities, ideas and contributions. This document is intended to represent the views of
our users, the local community and some of the best agencies in the field, in relation to
the full scope of details which need consideration in the build.
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The Brief: in depth
The extensive (and ongoing) consultation process has yielded an enormous amount of
information, from the conceptual to the practical to the visionary. We have arranged the
results below, in three main sections:
Principles These are ideas and values which emerged, and which should be reflected in
the building design. Whilst their immediate relevance as principles may seem abstract,
our belief is that they represent values of our organisation which can have a practical
outworking in the new build.
Areas These are the current departmental areas within the organisation which have
practical and aspirational requirements. With the exception of ‘enterprise’, an area
which needs further research, the areas provide a basic description of the functions,
needs and spaces required to run and develop in future. However, this element of the
brief is a combination of required and desirable items, fleshing out the ideal scenario
after explaining the existing and developing provision in each department.
Specifications These are more specific elements and requirements related to the build
and building, which will often dovetail or cross over with parts of ‘principles’ and
‘areas’. They include legal regulations and requirements, observations about the
internal and external needs of the building and other relevant information.
Principles
The principles we outline here are intended to express both an ethic and a design
opportunity. They have emerged through our consultation process, in which
conversations about identity, challenges and aspirations have underpinned practical
considerations and suggestions. Our expectation is that the new building will bring
together requirements of principle and practicality.
• Beauty We believe the new building should be aesthetically pleasing or, put
simply, beautiful. Existing elements are described as attractive from an architectural
or conservational perspective, but we want the space to be one which tells
children, young people and any other users of the building that they are entering a
space which they deserve. We believe that the entire project should be marked by
pride and skill in craftsmanship at every level: architecture, design, workmanship,
completion.
• Enterprise Throughout its history, the Winch has adapted to change, finding
different ways of continuing its work with children and young people. Enterprise
and innovation lie at the heart of a successful organisation and we are keen to
facilitate both informal and formal expressions of this in the design of our new
building. It should be a place in which the impossible becomes possible, which
stimulates new ideas and a sense of possibility.
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• Imagination Our work means that the Winch is a constant recipient and receptacle
of imagination: in particular our Play service, which hundreds of children attend
over the course of a year, is a source of extraordinary originality. We want our
space to enrich and encourage the imagination, not only in children but in all who
come through our doors. This should also be evident in finding solutions to bringing
together economic, pragmatic and aspirational elements in the design process.
• Openness The Winch is a friendly place, a family, and yet it appears physically
closed and can feel institutional and unrecognised. We have noticed the number of
internal barriers and doors on each floor, the lack of light in the basement and the
need for openness and hospitality to be reflected throughout the building.
• Partnership Our approach to working is one of synergy between different
agencies, exploring new opportunities and looking to make things happen. This
attitude should be encompassed in the design and spaces we use, with the capacity
to not only accommodate but facilitate partnership and, to use a strategic word,
co-location (of ideas, organisations and services).
• Quality 5 It is far too often the assumption in the voluntary sector that it is
acceptable to provide low-quality equipment or surroundings, because it is the
heart of the work which matters. However, we see this ‘heart’ as a consistent
principle, requiring top quality provision for children and young people: in our
work, our staff, our resources and our building. We believe that a space speaks
volumes to its users about their worth, and to this end we expect everything we do
to be the best.
• Simplicity At the heart of the new ideas and initiatives we explore and what we do
is a simplicity: a basic agreement that our work is essentially about building
relationships with each other. The new building, an exciting and imaginative place,
should nonetheless remain simple, a space in which there is clarity and
communication. This should be an integral part of design, whether related to
access, navigation,signage, traffic or any other aspect of the building.
• Sustainability The work we do is crucial for local children, young people, families
and the wider community and we take seriously our duty for safeguarding and
responsible stewardship of all resources: both environmental and financial.
On an environmental level, we want a building which is high on efficiency and low
on extravagance. We are interested in ‘eco-minimalism: the antidote to eco-bling’6,
adopting sensible and simple technologies which further our environmental
agenda.
Both Andrew Mawson (in his book ‘The Social Entrepreneur’ http://bit.ly/rANhj) and Russ Dacre (in interview with
The Independent newspaper http://bit.ly/8Qbfwf) describe the importance of quality in community and voluntary
sector initiatives.
5
Howard Liddell, http://bit.ly/2vdBbl [Consideration should be given to passive solar energy, solar shading, lowenergy equipment, phantom loads, renewable tariffs, minimum boilers, passive house standard, airtightness, shelter
planting, natural ventilation, natural/hybrid ventilation, biodiversity, design for recycling, benign materials, mass
timber, maintenance, water conservation, hard surfaces, soft surfaces and moisture mass.]
6
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We believe that environmental and financial sustainability go hand in hand, and to
this end would expect their development in tandem. In addition to this, as outlined
under ‘Enterprise’ we want our building to have the capacity to facilitate income
generation and social enterprise activities which provide another financial plank to
stabilise and safeguard the Winch.
• Versatility We believe in striking the balance between a solid foundation and new
ideas. To this end, we believe that the building should neither be a series of lowestcommon-denominator spaces with little character or purpose, nor a set of singlepurpose rooms. The building should be versatile, capable of accommodating and
resourcing a wide variety of activities, moving away from the existing constrictions
of its shape and sizes.
Areas
Play
Intro Our Play provision works with 4-12 year-olds, providing a daily after-school club
from 3-6pm and a holiday playscheme from 9am-6pm every weekday for all but four
weeks of the year. In the club and playscheme, children experience a wide range of
educational and recreational onsite and offsite activities, including arts, cooking, crafts,
games, sewing, sport and trips to the cinema, museums and theme parks amongst other
things. In 2007, Ofsted reported the quality of Play as excellent, with one caveat: the
lack of access between Ground Floor and Adventure Playground areas.
Details (current)
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2.30-6.30pm every school day during term-time (including set-up/set-down)
8.30-6.30pm every day for 9 of 13 holiday weeks (including set-up/set-down)
Activities including arts, cooking, crafts, games, sports and offsite activities
Attendance taken from two/three local primary schools ranging up to 30 during
term-time and 60 during holidays
• Conforms to relevant legislation and regulations (including child protection, data
protection, health & safety and risk management)
• Four staff (one full-time, three part-time) and five back-up staff/volunteers
• Usage of Basement, Ground Floor, First Floor, Second Floor & Third Floor for
activities and lunch (during holiday weeks due to high numbers)
Details (aspirations/future)
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Adequate and accessible storage for equipment
Appropriate access (regulation-compliant and secure) to Play provision
Every weekday (plus Saturday) and every holiday provision
Drop-in service for all local children (regardless of school)
Inclusive, secure access to all spaces (including Adventure Playground)
More for parents and carers including discussion & support groups, fitness club,
open mornings
• Services including around behaviour, disability and various therapies
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• Spaces including quiet/relaxation/therapeutic
• Upgrading Adventure Playground
• Widen activities to include dance, drama, games (non-electronic), gardening (intergenerational projects), music, photography, pottery and soft play
Ideas & Suggestions
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A fully accessible and compliant building (through DDA compliance)
A kitchen for cooking (Second Floor)
A ‘new art room’ (First Floor)
A room for photography (dark room) and pottery (First Floor)
A separate entrance for Play provision
A soft play space (Ground Floor)
A space for drama (Second Floor)
A space for exercise/fitness initiatives for parents and carers (First Floor)
A space for ‘open mornings’ for parents and carers (Ground Floor)
A therapeutic space (Ground Floor, around the foot of the stairwell)
Adequate space for up to 60 children participating in different activities at any
given time
• A through-route or tunnel to the Adventure Playground (Ground Floor)
• All-weather canopy, lighting and resurfacing for Adventure Playground
• Storage which is attractive, imaginative and space-efficient
Summary Play is a highly-attended, successful provision which needs substantial space
and seeks to expand what it can offer. Serious consideration needs to be given to
upgrading facilities and spaces and managing traffic in relation to both internal (Play)
numbers and other users of the building.
Sport
Intro Our Sport provision works with all ages and maintains a focus on girls’ and
women’s participation in sport. It ranges from practical weekly sessions in basketball,
boxing and football to short-term projects including dance, martial arts, multi-sports and
other activities. We run tournaments in half-terms and holidays, training courses for
Football Association and Community Sports Leadership Award qualifications and have a
large-scale volunteer-mentor-employment programme called ‘Sporting Chance for the
Future’. In 2008 we founded the United Football Partnership, a forum of coaches and
sports practitioners from Brent, Camden, Islington, Kensington & Chelsea and further
afield to work together and promote girls’ and women’s involvement in football.
Details (current)
• A wide variety of weekly sessions, the majority of which take place offsite
• Regular training courses and tournaments, the majority of which take place offsite
(or a combination of on and offsite)
• Activities including basketball, boxing, coaching, dance, football, martial arts,
mentoring, multi-sports, networking, training and volunteering
• Coaching courses including basketball, sports and various elements of football
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• Conforms to relevant legislation and regulations (including child protection, data
protection, health & safety and risk management)
• Six staff (one full-time, five part-time) and several volunteers
• Usage of First Floor and Second Floor for activities and training
Details (aspirations/future)
• A key location for various providers from the private, statutory and voluntary
sectors
• Changing rooms and showers
• Development of complementary therapies including aromatherapy and massage
(deep tissue, facial, Indian head and holistic)
• Development of health & fitness activities including pilates, self-defence (martial
arts), weights and yoga (for adults and children)
• Establishment of alternating coaching courses to also include badminton and
netball
• Every weekday provision, as well as evening and weekend programmes
• Put on events including festivals
• Run leagues as well as tournaments
• Train in ‘supporting skills’: administration, budgeting & finance, communication
(reception), fundraising, IT skills, match and table officiating, refereeing and social
& professional skills
Ideas & Suggestions
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A 5-a-side all-weather pitch
A lecture (room) facility (Second Floor)
A reception and refreshment area (Ground Floor)
A supervised soft play area for mothers and babies (Ground Floor)
An equipped gym for activities including boxing, self-defence and yoga (First
Floor)
An underground (excavated) gym/sports hall facility
Establish agreements for running activities at Swiss Cottage Leisure Centre
Space for boxing, dance, martial arts, self-defence and yoga (Second Floor)
Space for complementary workshops (Second Floor)
Space for (day-long) courses and conferences (Second Floor)
Space for fitness courses and weights training (Basement, perhaps Ground Floor)
Spaces for meditation and (sports) treatment
Storage which is attractive, imaginative and space-efficient
Summary Sport is an integral provision which has the capacity to bring together Play
and Youth, and has led the way on volunteer initiatives. It has a wide-ranging reach
incorporating ground level activities, training and development and local strategy and
networking. The degree to which the building can be best utilised for Sport, alongside
improved agreements with partner organisations to facilitate a full programme, can help
move it to the next level.
Youth
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Intro Our Youth provision works with 11-25 year-olds, in particular those at risk of being
let down or left out by society. We work in schools, the local community and the centre
to provide mentoring, small groups, drop-ins, lunchtime outreach, detached work,
focused projects and residentials. We have devoted strands to young women’s work and
youth leadership, and are involved in youth justice processes. We are conveners of
Kilburn Youth Providers Group, a group of agencies who come together to network,
plan, resource and support each other and local work with young people.
Details (current)
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6.30-8.30pm drop-in sessions three times a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday)
A music studio with basic equipment
Detached and lunchtime outreach work in local secondary schools
Mentoring/one-to-one work
Various short-term projects, including with Sport (boxing, bike/cycling proficiency),
often as funding permits
Details (aspirations/future)
• A fun and interesting space for young people to relax in and/or discuss interests,
issues and concerns
• A safe place which they feel welcomed in and proud of
• Access to healthy eating courses and related activities
• Access to support and encouragement to develop new ideas
• Alternative education provision and courses (daytime) for young people at risk of
permanent exclusion from mainstream schools, with access to the other elements
listed here
• An owned area (cafe) over which young people have ownership
• Appropriate spacing to allow for disengagement from and support by staff
• Easy to observe who is coming into/going out of the building for relationshipbuilding/youthwork purposes
• Short-term projects such as bike and motorcycle maintenance, graffiti, requested
courses
• Spaces for people in different moods (chilled or hyped up, playful or serious/
studious)
• The building needs to be more fun as a place to be, incorporating creative ideas
such as ‘piano steps’, a tree lift, random holes in the wall which double up as seats
and steps to sit on
Ideas & Suggestions
• A cheap ‘anytime’ young people’s cafe which requires minimal supervision (or as
a lesser alternative, a lockable tuck shop to be managed by young people)
• A chill out room
• A musical instruments room and somewhere for bands to play
• A soundproof music studio and multimedia editing suite (which can be booked by
individuals)
23
• A youth enterprise area/provision where young people can fix bikes or learn
hairdressing for several months before finding a location and securing funds to set
up their business
• Access to a kitchen for healthy eating courses, making food and having a coffee/
chatting/hanging out
• Access to computers and support for projects and homework
• Access to outdoor space/s (including Adventure Playground)
• Access to sports facilities
• An arts and crafts area
• Counselling/mentoring/therapy room/s
• Dance studio for dance classes
• Hip-hop style cafe (space) with weekly sessions for young people, the opportunity
to debate and hear inspirational speakers and movie nights which inspire
discussion
• Seats at different heights
• Storage for equipment related to projects and ongoing programme (e.g. bikes)
Summary Youth is a provision which is both flexible and demanding. Programmes can
run around the building or offsite, but at the same time needs a good base which young
people can develop ownership of and spaces which are welcoming, enjoyable and can
facilitate a wide range of activities and opportunities for young people.
Enterprise
Intro Enterprise is a central tenet of how the Winch operates, albeit until now in a
relatively ad hoc manner. Networking and initiative have yielded excellent results and
opportunities to complement our services and provide a stable financial footing for the
organisation. This is, however, an area which requires enormous development and in
which we anticipate will play a major role in our development and future.
Details (current)
• Charity shop (every Saturday on Ground Floor)
• Room hire (every day throughout the building)
Ideas & Suggestions (to be explored)7
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Alternative education provision
Bistro/restaurant
Bouncy castle
Cafe/coffee shop
Chocolate factory
Cinema
Citizen’s Advice Bureau
Complementary therapies
Computer room
These items have been listed as a result of their emergence through the consultation process. The list is not
exhaustive, and inclusions are based on their classification as a potential enterprise, meaning that they might involve
partnership with external agencies and/or income generation, leverage and adding-value opportunities.
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Conference suite
Credit union
Eco-room
Emergency accommodation
Formal education
Gigs/music venue/disco
Glass dome/’roofing’ on the roof
Health and fitness facilities
In-house community
Lectures and classes (ad hoc teaching)
Massage/physiotherapy
Meditation space
Multi-faith chapel
Nursery/childcare
Rooftop allotment
Rooftop barbecues
Rooftop cafe
Rooftop events/wedding venue
Rooftop garden
Showers/changing rooms
Social enterprise hub
Soft play facilities
Start-up/local business support
Sweet room/tuck shop
Tattoo parlour
Theatre
Voluntary sector hub
Weights gym
Workshop/design & technology facilities
Summary Enterprise is a complex area which needs serious consideration and in-depth
planning. We are keen that we resource the right ideas and create capacity for future
initiatives without undermining other requirements of the build. We also want enterprise
to be a partner and cornerstone of our services, as opposed to an unpalatable but
necessary reality. To this end, we are commissioning a feasibility study to explore the
ideas laid out above and consider their viability in relation to enterprise, financial
sustainability and service provision. Its findings are an integral aspect of the design and
build.
Support
Intro Our work depends on having a ‘base’ which provides support: administrative,
financial and strategic. This currently takes the form of personnel (an administrator, a
finance officer and a director) and resources and space (internet, telephony, storage
etc.). The role of support is not fully integrated with services and takes on the substantial
financial burden of running the building (costs including audit, insurances, security and
utilities).
Details (current)
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A base for voluntary, part-time and full-time staff
Administrative equipment, photocopying & telephony and stationery storage
Data storage and filing systems/records
Top floor devoted to Support: administrations, meetings, paperwork and staffing
Details (aspirations/future)
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A catering facility for staff
A community of internal, partner and external staff and individuals
A department better integrated with our services
An effective and manageable entrance area and system
Lockers/personal storage for staff
Maintenance of data protection and confidentiality protocols
Secure access and storage
Space for staff leisure time and meetings
Ideas & Suggestions (current)
• A cafe, coffee shop and/or meeting place for staff members
• A ground level reception area, capable of managing access, communications,
deliveries and security
• A social enterprise hub for staff working, external professionals and opportunities
for children, young people and local residents and businesses
• A time-based rather than space-based resource for administration and support
• A voluntary sector hub and resourcing centre, supporting community groups and
local charities in partnership with Voluntary Action Camden
• An open plan, hotdesking approach
• The right balance between building management and low labour-intensivity in
building maintenance
• Various options for managing space and running Support, with flexibility built in
Summary In the past, our Support department has been seen as a separate entity, both
in relation to the building and our work. Instead, it needs to be recognised and
incorporated as a central element of our organisation, reducing the distance between
practical tasks and strategic decision-making, and what happens at ground level. The
shortening of this physical and organisational difference, exploring opportunities for
bringing together internal departments and wider organisations, should be at the centre
of an effective, transparent and open Support department.
Universal
Whilst they should be evident throughout the areas above, certain requirements
emerged consistently throughout the consultation (in particular with existing staff and
users), which are worth drawing attention to.
The different departments have strong and ambitious visions for the future, as yet
unrealised. To this end, a spirit of compromise and cooperation needs to be fostered,
and the building should aid this aim. It relates closely to issues of timetabling and traffic,
26
another operational as well as design responsibility. There are questions about how the
right areas, services and enterprises dovetail with each other, which to a significant
degree depends on the findings of a feasibility study which takes all aspects and
opportunities into account. Storage (and shared equipment) is the other key element
which all departments have articulated a need for, with important considerations around
aesthetics and functionality. The new building needs to have the capacity to do
ordinary and extraordinary things. It is the intersection of beauty, functionality and
versatility which will make it a success.
Specifications
Internal
• Capacity (Flexibility) This concept is incorporated throughout the sections below
and dovetails with the need for versatility outlined above. It highlights the need for
the building to be used to maximum capacity by different groups for various
purposes. It also creates a mandate for looking at how internal transformation can
occur which makes it possible to do more. This may involve thinking creatively
about the arrangements of pathways, rooms, walls and floors (including their
connections).
• Elements (Departmental) Whilst there is a more extensive brainstorm of services,
needs and hopes above, it is helpful to clarify the basic requirements of each
department in a few lines. This then means that further detail can be added once
the basics are established. This section is not intended as fully comprehensive of all
considerations (for example issues of child protection, dealt with separately) but as
a guide to facilitating the practical elements of each service.
Play requires spaces to facilitate activities for up to 30 children for three hours
per day during term-time, and for up to 60 children from 9-5pm during holidays.
Spaces should be able to facilitate art/s, chilling out, cooking, crafts, dance,
drama, games (various), gardening, music, photography, pottery, registration,
soft play, sports, storage (of children’s bags/possessions and of Play
equipment), therapeutic activities and new initiatives. Thought needs to be given
to the fact that not all children will be able to participate in one or two activities
at any given time, and so a balance needs to be struck between multi-use areas
and the ability to ‘disperse’ children into different, simultaneously running
activities (spaces). There also need to be places for confidential conversations,
‘cooling down’ (quietude/relaxation) and/or conflict resolution, and
consideration needs to be given to pick-up and drop-off zones (in relation to
building traffic), parents’ meeting places and team working.
Sport requires spaces to facilitate and resource various activities (basketball,
boxing, complementary therapies, dance, football, martial arts & self-defence,
multi-sports, storage, weights & fitness and yoga) and coaching, training and
meeting elements (including all-day courses and conferences) of the programme.
It is likely that a number of activities requiring larger spaces or which have other
local sites may be best facilitated through external agreements with partner
27
organisations. A table of current activities (which informs building usage) can be
seen in the Appendices, and Sport in some cases dovetails with Play and Youth
to deliver services. In looking to incorporate as much as possible, it is worth
remembering that the majority of Sport’s activities, excluding education and
training elements, happen in the late afternoon and evenings. It is worth noting
too that Sport has a volunteering programme which looks to equip participants
with a wider set of skills, requiring access to IT equipment. Additional facilities
for changing and showering would greatly enhance both Sport and wider usage
of our spaces by external groups.
Youth requires spaces to facilitate a range of activities, including mentoring/
counselling/therapy (1-3 young people), small group work (4-10 young people)
and drop-ins/larger events and projects (20-60 young people) and potentially a
daytime alternative education provision (5-12 young people). The majority of
these activities will take place during afternoons and evenings, with the
exception of the an alternative education provision (which might run in parallel
school-time hours) and a drop-in provision which would be open as much as can
be resourced (space and staffing). Spaces need to be engaging and interesting
and able to facilitate activities including art/s, crafts & graffiti, fashion & textiles,
healthy eating, IT, music production, storage, video editing and ‘workshops’ (for
example building bikes). Design needs to incorporate ‘mood elements’ (chilled
out, hyped up, playful, serious/studious) and team working.
Enterprise requires spaces which can facilitate activities yet to be confirmed.
These will be the most viable and compatible suggestions listed above, although
from a design perspective we are looking to see which ones might be best
incorporated alongside our other requirements. Consideration should be given
to universal elements, including advertising & publicity (the attraction and ‘word
of mouth’ of internal design), building management (including ease of access)
and welcome.
Support requires spaces which resources and supports the other departments,
including the building and staff. Aside from the wider specifications included in
this section which apply more generally (hence to Support as much as to Play,
Sport, Youth and Enterprise), there is a need to facilitate catering, confidentiality
& data protection, (staff) meetings, storage and team working.
• Features
Security There are a wide range of different individuals and groups who use the
building, and within our existing departments a significant number of children,
young people, parents, staff, volunteers and others who come through the doors.
In a generic sense, there will need to be a high level of security designed into the
new build and specific entities (for example a department, social enterprise or user
group) may explicitly request this.
On a wider level, the capacity to lock down certain areas and/or floors of the
building is integral. This will enable access to and hiring of different spaces without
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the need for full staffing and supervision of the building. As the activities and
opening hours of the Winch expand, we anticipate this requirement to become
increasingly important.
However, we are keen to explore innovative approaches to security which do not
demonise young people or ‘bring out the worst’ in human nature. To this end, we
are interested less in predictable systems (such as closed-circuit television) and
more so in safe design and human surveillance initiatives.
Utilities The implications of this item include environmental/financial and technical
dimensions. These are as follows:
i. Thought needs to be given to the array of aforementioned environmental
elements, including the use of appropriate materials, draught-proofing and
insulation, heat fans and timed lighting. This needs to include the ability to
easily and quickly service select spaces for specific usage (for example, the
need for heating during winter), aside from the building as a whole.
ii. A major focus is on toilets and washing facilities. There was a proposal to
have at least one changing room and shower complex and to consider
issues of access (including from the Adventure Playground), ratios (the
number of toilets proportionate to the anticipated number of users) and
usage (the necessity for separate toilets for different departments and/or
user groups). Daylight and natural ventilation were also felt to be
important.
iii. Another major focus is on catering and kitchens, of which the Winch
currently has four (out of five levels). The need for a communal or shared
kitchen, the use of kitchen facilities for activities and classes, its/their
location in relation to event and hirable spaces and standalone facilities
(for example vending machines) were all cited as desirables. More
substantial ideas for catering enterprise are mentioned under [Consultation
Process | Arthur Potts Dawson].
• Legal & Regulatory
Child Protection Running children’s and young people’s services means that child
protection requirements need to be taken into consideration in the cohabitation of
different spaces. In the case of ‘unCRBed’ adults (individuals who have not
undergone a full Criminal Records Bureau check) this will simply mean ‘no
contact’. Activities running during, alongside (physically) or in /through
overlapping spaces need to be appropriate and legal.
Data Protection Information shared in our work is often confidential and sensitive,
and this may be discussed or recorded. There need to be protocols for ensuring
such conversations and paperwork can be carried out (and progressed and stored
securely), whilst at the same time avoiding insularity and conservative use of
space.
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Disability Discrimination Act The most immediate consideration for DDA compliance
tends to be a lift, and this is integral. However, a wider and holistic approach to
disability access needs to be considered, including approach & entry,
communication systems, colours, counters & work surfaces (access and/or height),
doors (clearance, weight and width), equipment (accessible and/or appropriate),
external areas, fire escape/s, furniture, heating, lighting, signage (internal and
external), toilets and acoustics.
Fire Procedures The internal fire escape routes need to be clear, economical, in
keeping with the wider ethos of the build and in line with legal regulations. This
may mean markings as opposed to new corridors, but should seek to meet our
obligations in an appropriate and imaginative manner.
Health & Safety The building will need to comply with health and safety
regulations. However, we will be looking to the design to meet these obligations in
a way which is creative and sensible (both in terms of common sense and
providing flexibility for changing expectations).
• Operations
Access There are significant problems around generic accessibility which need to
be addressed. The building is described as ‘closed’ and ‘unwelcoming’, which
needs to be resolved, alongside an exploration of multiple entrances and/or exits
for different users (departments, in-house organisations, external users and social
enterprise), including from the back of the building (the side which most people
see and approach from). This needs to be considered alongside appropriate child
protection and health and safety measures.
The second focus for ‘access’ relates to internal traffic, with the most obvious
current problem the lack of access between the ground floor and the adventure
playground. Opportunities for the development of a rooftop space also need to be
considered as part of lift access and building through routes.
Circulation & Traffic There are a number of flaws around circulation and traffic in
the building. These include an absence of welcome and clarity in entering and
navigating the building, its ‘closed’ nature (both internally and externally) and the
variety of user groups who need different things at different times.
Further consideration must be given to the existing spaces used for circulation (and
whether this makes them impossible to use for other purposes), as well as
departmental (child protection, drop-off and pick-up issues, departure of users,
health and safety requirements) and wider (ease of access, clarity and navigation,
spaciousness, stakeholder relations, strong building management) issues related to
circulation and traffic. Circulation routes should encompass the various aesthetic
principles outlined above.
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Communications In line with the development of the building, there needs to be an
efficient and effective communications system which facilitates communication,
identification and safeguarding/security. This strategy should relate to practical
(including daytime and ‘out-of-hours’ entrance management, deliveries and
information services) and electronic (internet, telecommunications and innovative
ways of information-sharing) areas.
Whilst we are keen to avoid ‘building in’ significant running costs, we believe that
the prevalence of ‘signage’ (whether leaflets, posters or other publicity) is counterproductive in information-sharing. To this end, we are keen to ensure that
‘communications’ is as human and non-cluttered a consideration as possible.
Maintenance The building needs to be easily and economically maintained once
the refurbishment programme is complete. This relates to the expense of replacing
items (in particular those likely to wear more quickly) and contracts for services
which may need to be procured at build stage. Primarily, we do not want to unveil
an exciting new resource which creates practical and financial problems for the
organisation when it emerges it is labour-intensive and cost-ineffective.
Timetabling It is difficult to predict the specific flows of traffic and building usage
further down the line, but we are keen to ensure that different spaces in the
building have the capacity for facilitating as much activity as possible, with as
much ease as possible. Consideration should be given to existing activities and the
timing of different elements of service provision, including potential (social)
enterprise projects and the capacity for income generation and building usage by
internal and external groups.
It is important to note that demand for space/s within the building changes
significantly during holiday periods. On the one hand, activities run by Sport and
Youth may be offsite or outside. On the other hand, Play runs holiday playschemes
for all but four of these thirteen works, during which time a full timetable of
activities and a high number of children (up to 60) need to use the building for
activities, games and lunches. For a typical weekly timetable during term-time,
please see Appendix X.
External
• Elements (Departmental) Whilst less so than internal specifications, certain
requirements relating to different departments are listed below.
Play requires a fully upgraded Adventure Playground (see below) and secure
access between the main building and the Adventure Playground and other
external spaces connected to the building, if relevant.
Youth might benefit from an exclusive entrance, for reasons related to spacesharing & traffic and staffing & timing of services.
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Enterprise requires a facade and access which is attractive, visible and
welcoming. As a base for enterprise and new initiatives which require successful
marketing, the building needs to act as an advertisement for what is happening
within.
• Features
Adventure Playground The current adventure playground was a replacement for a
larger range of play equipment which was lost in previous local developments, and
lacked serious consultation or intelligent thinking. It is a much-needed but
inadequate resource.
There needs to be consideration around the equipment itself (is it the ideal type)
and its positioning, fencing (‘less like jail’), flooring (currently water-permeable and
impossible to use after rainfall), roofing (use is limited by the weather) and lighting
(use is limited by daylight hours/time and the weather). The adventure playground
should be robust and easy to monitor, so that user groups apart from Play are able
to access and use it (including external hirers).
Exterior design The façade of the building needs renewal in keeping with the
conservation area (front and side) and in line with our aspirations (back) below.
Exterior design should bring together the appropriate aesthetic requirements with
a clarity about who we are and what we do. In our area survey, the majority of
respondents with no previous relationship with the Winch had no idea what
happened in the building, despite our local presence for approaching forty years.
(See also ‘Rear-facing external facade, below.)
First floor balcony & extension The ground and first level of the building (rearfacing) are not an attractive or particularly well-used element of the current
arrangement, and are further complicated by the fire escape route which comes
down over/through them. We are interested in exploring the reconfiguration of this
space alongside other possibilities, including in relation to roofing for the
Adventure Playground (both retractable and permanent options).
Rear-facing external façade Much has been made of the redevelopment around
Swiss Cottage open space, which has brought numerous advantages and
disadvantages. What is clear is that the change has made this part of Swiss
Cottage far more popular, and the vast majority of people who see our building
do so from behind.
A number of ideas and observations have been made about our rear-facing
external façade as needing to contribute something ‘eye-catching, memorable,
noticeable’ or ‘a talking point’. A glass fronting, ‘slide-on-the-side’, profile-raising
art and design and/or the redesign of the ground floor extension (see above) give
some indication of what might be possible in this regard.
Roof A number of different suggestions have emerged for use of the roof space,
including an allotment or community garden, a brown/green (sustainable) roof, a
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green cafe, an event/s space or a sports facility (further suggestions are welcome).
Not all of these ideas are mutually exclusive and the roof is seen as an
unexploited, hence wasted space. Its ability to dovetail with other elements of the
build (Play or Enterprise, for example) and to add an extra dimension mean that it
is an area of real potential.
Security As outlined above under [Internal | Security], the building will need to be
secure, both from internal and external perspectives. However, we are keen to
explore innovative approaches to security which do not demonise young people or
‘bring out the worst’ in human nature. To this end, we are interested less in
predictable systems (such as closed-circuit television) and more so in safe design
and human surveillance initiatives.
• Legal & Regulatory
Conservation Regulations The building is part of Belsize Park conservation area,
but backs onto the newly developed Swiss Cottage open space. Consideration will
need to be taken to ensure that at very least the front and side of the building
remains sympathetic to the Victorian character of its surroundings, but the back
may provide opportunity for something more modern.8 It is not a listed building.
Fire Procedures Changes to the building in recent years and the alteration of our
external space have had the unintentional effect of compromising our fire escape
route by creating a lockable adventure playground space (for security reasons). A
solution to this needs to be found.
Health & Safety The building will need to comply with health and safety
regulations. However, we will be looking to the design to meet these obligations in
a way which is creative and sensible (both in terms of common sense and
providing flexibility for changing expectations).
Planning Requirements As indicated above, the building is part of Belsize Park
conservation area, but backs onto the newly developed Swiss Cottage open space.
As a result of this, planning conditions and processes may take longer and
undergo greater scrutiny, with further consideration given to aesthetic elements.
• Operations
Maintenance There is no doubt that immediately following this project, local
children and young people will have a resource of excellent quality which looks
fantastic. However, the building must be as easy and cost-effective to maintain,
particularly in relation to the exterior design and windows, and any other external
elements.
8
http://bit.ly/1PBIuv
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Summary
The information above is the result of an extensive consultation process distilled into a
manageable section. However, the conversations about how the building can be best
used and how its design can best facilitate this continue, and to this end it is expected to
be an open document. For example, we are still engaging current and prospective inhouse partners on their requirements and suggestions and continuing to visit other sites.
Furthermore, our Appendices provide far more data and insight into the wide-ranging
concerns and reflections of those who have participated. There is plenty more to be
gleaned by taking some time to look at the drawings, video footage, photographs,
brainstorms, groupwork exercises and reports which form the basis of our Principles,
Areas and Specifications sections.
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Excited?
We hope that you have found this design brief an inspiring document which maps the
aspirations as well as the needs of the Winch. We believe this is an extraordinary
opportunity: a project which will transform what is available to children and young
people in Camden and London, and act as a model for twenty-first century voluntary
sector working which is independent, visionary, committed to working across sectors
and motivated primarily by the needs and desires of children and young people, and
the wider community.
There are plenty of ways to get involved and show your support: through our friends
scheme, offering your skills, following our progress9, becoming a donor or looking to
participate in the management and delivery of the project. Please don’t hesitate to get
in touch.
e: paul@winchesterproject.org.uk
f: 020 7911 0412
t: 020 7586 8731 | 07919 851565
w: www.thewinch.org
Follow the Winch through our website, Facebook group (http://bit.ly/8yZYot) or Twitter account (http://bit.ly/
6DpaAC).
9
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Appendices
Getting to know the Winch & surrounding area
1. WP Annual Report 2008
2. WP BD Creative Brief
3. WP Business Plan 2008-2013 (Old Version)
4. WP Existing Floor Plans
5. Swiss Cottage Area Partnership (Operational Area)
Full Consultation Documents (Chronological)
6. Swiss Cottage Area Partnership Action Plan Report (January 2008)
7. The Winch Area Survey (winChangers Agenda Survey Results)
8. WP Workshop A
9. WP Core Group Survey
10.TGH Day 2 Presentation (Consultation Update)
11.WP Workshop B
12.WP Offsite Visits (including Bromley-By-Bow Centre, Kids Company & OPEN)
Operational Information
13.Typical
14.Typical
15.Typical
16.Typical
17.Typical
Weekly Play Timetable
Holiday Play Timetable
Weekly Sport Timetable
Weekly Youth Timetable
Weekly Support Timetable (Bookings)
Not Included
A variety of documents around precedent projects and development of 21 Winchester
Road are available on request, which we have not included deliberately, as we are
keen that new proposals are developed with an entirely fresh view of the building. These
documents include:
18.Feasibility Report on the conversion of the second and third floors for social
housing, the installation of a lift, and the refurbishment of the lower three floors for
the Winchester Project (October 2002)
19.Building Feasibility Study for new internal lift, alterations and repairs (January
2005)
20.MyPlace Fast Track Grant Application Form 2008
21.Executive Summary and Notes To Capital Delivery Plan in support of the
‘MyPlace’ Fast Track Grant Application by The Winchester Project (15 July 2008)
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