The Proud Trust LGBT+ Centre

Project team: Marianne and Ste at URBED (Architects), Elliot Bond for Civil and Structures, Modero for QS, Dooley Associates for PM and Clients Agent.

LEDA have been commissioned as part of the design team (RIBA stage 3-7) for the design and construction of a much needed and long awaited new community centre on Sidney Street, Manchester, owned and operated by the Proud Trust. The existing LGBT+ Centre in Manchester was the first entirely publicly-funded and purpose-built Gay Centre in Europe, however it is now well beyond economic repair.

The project will replace the existing building with a new three-storey building, to enable the Proud Trust to more than double its impact in supporting the LGBT+ community and promotion of equality and diversity. The centre aims to be a vibrant hub for LGBT+ life in Manchester with a café and kitchen, multi-use space, offices and meeting rooms.

Collaborative Consultation and Sustainable Design

We worked closely with the Proud Trust and the architects URBED to prepare a strategy for building services that will fully meet Proud Trust’s requirement for  an environmentally sound, energy efficient and low-running cost building. This has included a Stage 2 sweep up and options appraisal of the possibilities for renewable energy generation on site, and an appraisal of whole life financial and energy costs.

The Passive House Planning Package (PHPP) calculation is being used to optimise the building fabric design, the building services and to gain AECB Building Standard. By aiming for a high quality and low heat loss building fabric, we have then been able to apply lean design principles to the building services, optimising use of daylight and artificial light, simplifying heating and cooling systems within a mixed mode ventilation design.