Stanwell Events Community Hub

Our Approach

Fluent approached the project by looking at how the building needed to work for the people using it, rather than simply focusing on the physical refurbishment of the existing pavilion.

The design brought different community services together under one roof, creating a more connected and flexible facility.

We developed the refurbishment proposals and guided the project through the planning process, helping Stanwell Events take an ageing community building and turn it into a facility designed around its future needs.

Because the building was already an important part of the local community, involving the people who would ultimately use it was an important part of the design process.

Designing With the Community

One of the most distinctive elements of the Stanwell Events project was the use of virtual reality during the design process.

Rather than asking residents, volunteers and stakeholders to understand the proposed refurbishment solely from traditional architectural drawings, Fluent was able to give them the opportunity to experience the proposed building virtually.

This allowed people to walk through the proposed spaces before construction began and understand how the new community hub would work.

The approach created valuable conversations around the design and gave local people an opportunity to provide feedback before the building was completed.

For a community-focused project, this helped create a genuine sense of involvement and ownership.

“Being able to show people the building before it existed created valuable conversations and gave local residents a real sense of ownership in the project.”

— Tom Millin, Co-Founder & Director, Fluent Architectural Design Services

Key Features

The refurbishment created a more flexible community facility capable of accommodating a variety of services and activities.

Community foodbank

The new facility provides dedicated space for foodbank services, helping Stanwell Events continue to support local families and individuals.

Community café

The community café provides an important social space within the building, encouraging people to meet, connect and access other services.

Youth activities

The refurbished hub provides improved space for activities supporting younger members of the local community.

Wellbeing programmes

Dedicated community space allows Stanwell Events to continue providing wellbeing-focused activities and support.

Flexible community space

Bringing multiple services together under one roof has created a more connected and adaptable facility that can respond to changing community needs.

Planning & Project Delivery

Working with an existing community building brings its own challenges, particularly where an older structure needs to be adapted to meet modern requirements.

Fluent developed the architectural proposals and secured planning approval for the refurbishment, helping Stanwell Events progress from an ageing and increasingly unsuitable pavilion towards a modern community facility.

Our experience in planning, architectural design and working with existing buildings helped ensure that the proposals balanced the needs of the organisation with the practical requirements of the site and planning process.

Using Technology to Improve the Design Process

The Stanwell Events project also demonstrated how technology can help make architectural design more accessible.

Virtual reality allowed the people who would ultimately use the building to experience the proposed design before it existed.

For community projects in particular, this can be valuable because not everyone is comfortable interpreting technical architectural drawings.

Instead, residents and stakeholders could virtually walk through the proposed facility and get a much clearer understanding of the spaces, layout and overall experience.

For Fluent, this reinforced an important principle: good architectural design should be understandable and accessible to the people it is designed for.

The Result

The former 1960s sports pavilion has been transformed into a modern community hub designed to support the growing needs of Stanwell Events and the residents it serves.

The refurbished facility brings foodbank services, a community café, youth activities, wellbeing programmes and other community services together under one roof.

With around 33,000 people already using the facility before the refurbishment, the new hub provides an improved environment for thousands of local residents while giving Stanwell Events greater scope to develop its services in the future.

For Fluent, the project demonstrates how thoughtful architectural design can do more than improve a building.

It can help organisations deliver better services, bring communities together and create spaces that have a lasting impact on the people who use them.

“For us, this project demonstrated that good design is about much more than buildings. It is about creating spaces that genuinely improve people’s lives and help communities thrive.”

— Tom Millin, Co-Founder & Director, Fluent Architectural Design Services

Project Details

Project:                 Stanwell Events Community Hub

Location:             Stanwell, Surrey

Building:              Existing 1960s sports pavilion

Project type:       Community building refurbishment

Services:              Architectural Design | Planning | Project Support | Virtual Reality Design

Client:                   Stanwell Events

Looking to transform an existing community building?

Whether you are working with a community centre, sports pavilion, charity building or another existing facility, the right architectural approach can help you make better use of the space you already have.

At Fluent Architectural Design Services, we bring architectural design, planning and technical expertise together under one roof, helping organisations understand what is possible and navigate the process from initial ideas through to construction.

If you have a community building that needs a new lease of life, speak to our team about your project.