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Page 1
COUNTY BOROUGH OF HUDDERSFIELD
Opening of CIVIC CENTRE
(Phase Friday, 1st October, 1965
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OFFICIALS
*
*
Town Clerk: HARRY BANN
Borough Architect & Planning Officer
Borough Treasurer Chief Education Officer Medical Officer of Health ..
Borough Engineer & Surveyor
Estate & Property Manager
J. BLACKBURN, F.R.I.B.A. (DIP.T.P.), M.T.P.I., M.R.S.H.
J. H. WILKIN, F.I.M.T.A., F.S.A.A. H. GRAY, B.A. W. TURNER, M.B., CH.B., D.P.H., LL.B.
A. L. PERCY, B.SC., M.I.C.E., M.I.LSTRUCT.E., M.I.MUN.E., A.M.T.P.I.
W. R. BIRKS, A.R.I.C.S.
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COUNTY BOROUGH OF HUDDERSFIELD
Official opening of
CIVIC CENTRE (Phase 1) Friday, 1st October, 1965
by HIS WORSHIP THE MAYOR ALDERMAN REGINALD HARTLEY, J.P.
The Members of the General Purposes Civic Buildings and Central Area Re-Development Sub-Committee
Chairman: Alderman C. STEPHENSON
Deputy Chairman: THE Mayor (Alderman REGINALD HARTLEY, J.P.)
Aldermen: Councillors: J. A. BRAY K. BROOKE D. GRAHAM, C.B.E. T. P. CLIFFE, T.D., LL.B. H. A. BENNIE GRAY, C.B.E., J.P. M. C. GEE
H. HALSTEAD F. LAWTON, J.P.
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FOREWORD
CITIZENS OF HUDDERSFIELD:
In the nineteenth century most of our Corporation Departments were adequately accommodated in the Town Hall Offices — some of the names are still on the windows. Constant growth of municipal activities required more room, found in a variety of places, mainly converted dwelling-houses, but one at least an erstwhile “‘pub’’ and another a former prison. These were inconvenient and inefficient, and lately, overcrowded ; they cried out for replacement.
Over thirty years ago the then Council saw the desirability of gathering together most Departments in a purpose-built group of buildings. In 1933 these were designed for erection below the Town Hall. The bad times of the “thirties’’ and then the War, held up the project and only recently has it become possible to fulfil the wise intentions of our forbears.
Herein is described Phase I of Huddersfield’s Civic Centre, which, on completion of Phases II and UI, will comprise offices for most Corporation Departments, the central Health Clinic, Police Station, Law Courts and a Civic Suite incorporating a new Council Chamber, Committee Rooms and Parlours for the Mayor and Mayoress grouped round a piazza with car parking space below.
Phase I is already in full use permanently by the Borough Treasurer’s, Education and Health Departments’ administrative offices and the central Health Clinic, temporarily by the Depart- ment of Architecture & Planning.
Phase II — The Police Station and the suite of five courts — is now building. It is hoped that Phase III, a tower block of offices and the Civic Suite will follow in uninterrupted sequence.
Primarily — and the justification for the expenditure — the Civic Centre is a group of working buildings for the efficient conduct of local government under conditions and with facilities appropriate to our times. Standards are good but not extravagant and much thought has been given to the functional layout of individual offices and the economic use of space. A most up-to-date telephone system with internal communication facilities now embraces most Depart- ments under one calling number — Huddersfield 22133. Electrical underfloor heating contributes to a cleaner atmosphere and provides heat according to need via individual thermostat controls in each room.
The evergrowing scope, complexity and size of Corporation services and additional duties laid on local government by Parliament dictated the urgency for more adequate accommodation. 231 separate rooms in Phase I all in use prove it.
A gratifying aspect of this development is that it is a “home grown”’ product. It was designed in our own Department of Architecture by our own staff, and was built (after open competition) by a local firm, largely by local labour. It will surely be agreed that it is a credit to their skill.
Though first and foremost the “workshop of local government’’, the Civic Centre is designed to make a major addition to the architectural attractiveness of our town. It is a timely contri- bution to the “new look’’ Huddersfield now being energetically developed, a Huddersfield which I believe will justify every citizen to say with St. Paul, “I am a citizen of no mean city”’.
# 2 = Chairman,
General Purposes (Civic Buildings & Central Area Re-development) Sub-Committee
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THIS building was designed by the Department of Architecture & Planning in 1958 as the first of three phases of the Civic Centre. It houses four departments of the Corporation, Borough Treasurer’s, Educa- tion, Architecture & Planning, and Health, and incorporates the central Health Clinic. The building contract was signed on 2lst December, 1961, and the first offices were occupied in February, 1965. The building was designed as a four- storey building above car park level with allowance in the design for a fifth storey at a future date to allow for expansion of departments, but during building operations the Town Council decided that it would be advantageous to incorporate the additional storey in the current contract. The extra accommodation thus provided has allowed for the temporary housing of the Depart- ment of Architecture & Planning. This Department, along with all other technical Departments of the Corporation, will be accommodated ultimately in the ten-storey tower block forming part of the third and
View from Piazza steps showing Collection Hall and Main Building
final phase, which will also include the new Civic Suite and Council Chamber.
Building commenced in October, 1964, on the second phase which includes the Police Headquarters, Weights & Measures Department, Quarter Sessions, Petty Sessions and Coroner’s Courts, and the project is now well advanced.
The completed first phase building is of reinforced concrete construction supported on reinforced concrete piloti columns at car park or lower ground floor level spaced at 29’ 0” centres allow comfortable car parking. These columns are capable of supporting 273 tons each and spring from reinforced concrete bases twelve feet square and three feet thick, bearing on solid rock. Above the main ground floor deck, upper floors are supported on reinforced concrete perimeter and intermediate columns, the former having reinforced concrete spandrel diaphragms running’ between them, which, sheathed in self-cleansing ceramic mosaic, form a feature of the building and
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emphasize the long horizontal lines which will form a foil to the vertical ten-storey block which is a predominant mass in the third phase. The building is heated throughout by underfloor electric heating. Each room has individual control of its heating by thermo- stats pre-set to suit the use of the room and ensure maximum economy. This system requires the minimum amount of attention and of course produces no pollution and avoids the delivery of fuel by large tankers or lorries and the removal of ash in the central area. Double glazing conserves heat and keeps out noise. The Treasurer’s computer section requires close control of humidity and special apparatus to ensure this has been installed. The considerable problem of installing the large and heavy computer on the top floor was overcome by hoisting it up the face of the building and then lower- ing it through a large hatch in the roof.
This same method of installation can also be used for any future replacement. The ends of this block, housing lifts, staircases and toilets, are clad in local stone in narrow courses, a treatment which is carried along the length of the building in the upper storey and to the lowest storey on the piazza frontage. The single-storey Rates Block at the north (High Street) end of the building is faced with off-white Auresina Galeria Italian marble with the north elevation windows emphasized in dark green Spanish granite, incorporating infill panels of glass mosaic backed with genuine gold leaf, mosaic of similar kind to that applied to the San Marco Basilica in Venice hundreds of years ago. There are three entrances to the building at car park level (lower ground floor) the north and south ends having lifts and staircases, the central entrance having lift access only, from this level. The main
Police H.Q
Welfare Block
PHASE TWO: under construction
Law Courts—__
5
PHASE THREE
Inner Ring Road
Suite
Civic Piazza
ONE - now complete -
IO storey Point Block: - Technical Depts.
——~—~ Council Chamber
Scale Model of the complete Civic Centre, Huddersfield
by the Department of Architecture & Planning
J. BLACKBURN, F.R.1.8.A.,Dip.T.P.,M.T.P.I. Borough Architect & Planning Officer
Albion Street.
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public entrances are from the Civic Piazza to which there is access from High Street by a broad flight of stone steps limiting traffic to pedestrians only. Approximately one third of the piazza has been constructed in the first phase and when the second phase is completed there will also be pedestrian access to the piazza from Albion Street. Entrance No. 1, the first entrance reached along the piazza leads to the Collection Hall which is sub-divided into a main counter for the payment of general and water rates, ground rents, mortgage repayments and sundry accounts; and the Motor Tax Department with its counter for payment of Road Fund Tax and the issue of licences, i.e. Driving Licences, Hackney Carriage Licences, etc. This wing
of the building houses the Rating and Rental Officers’ Section, and Cashiers beyond the Collection Hall. From the Collection Hall, access is gained via the north staircase and lift to the remainder of the Borough Treasurer’s Department commencing at the second floor with the Administration and Loans Section. Also on this floor are two large drawing offices of the Department of Architecture & Plan- ning. The third floor accommodates the Internal Audit and Accountancy Sections of the Borough Treasurer’s Department and the fourth floor the Costing Section which includes a large machine room with computer. Also on this floor are the Quantity and Land Surveying Sections of the Department of Architecture & Planning.
Entrance No. 2 is to the Education Department with main enquiries, Youth Em- ployment Bureau, Welfare and School Meals Sections at ground floor level. An internal staircase leads to the first floor where will be found Conference and Committee rooms, the offices of the Chief and Deputy Education Officers and the Educational Organisers, and the Records Section. The Education Fin- ance Section on the second floor is reached by the north staircase or lift.
EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
Internal open staircase between ground and first floors constructed of Afrormosia treads and handrails on steel carriage with wrought iron balusters.
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SOUTH BLOCK: LIFT MOTO
FOURTH FLOOR:
ARCHITECTURE & : I a STE oe ARCHITECTURE PLANNING. SS and PLANNING I i SOUTH LIFT and STAIRS. THIRD ENTRANCE NO. 4. Administration. HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
SECOND FLOOR HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
Health: Orthopaedics - Health Visitors
Lecture Hall
FIRST FLOOR
HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
SCHOOL HEALTH : I \ = Speech Therapy. GROUND FLOOR HEALTH DEPARTMENT. Main Reception and Child Welfare LOWER GROUND FLOOR LOWER GROUND STORES - all FLOOR. CAR PARK Departments SOUTH ENTRANCE stairs SERVICE ENTRANCE TO STORES LOWER GROUND FLOOR
LOWER GROUND
CENTRAL ENTRANCE Lift and stairs.
FLOOR CAR PARK
PUBLIC TOILETS LOWER GROUND FLOOR CAR PARK LEVEL
CAR PARK ENTRANCE CARS APPROX.
HUDDERSFIELD C.B. CIVIC CENTRE PHASE ONE:
ISOMETRIC DIAGRAM SHEWING ACCOMMODATION
J.Blackburn F.R.1.B.4.. Borough Architect. and Planning Officer.
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2 & TANK TOWERS NORTH BLOCK:
FOURTH FLOOR: BOROUGH TREASURER: Costing. DEPARTMENT of ARCHITECTURE ond PLANNING: Quantity Surveyors.
THIRD FLOOR. BOROUGH TREASURER : Accountancy and Audit.
SECOND FLOOR. BOROUGH TREASURER :
ENTRANCE NO.3. Administration. B CHILD GUIDANCE CLINIC EDUCATION : CENTRAL LIFT & STAIRS : Finance.
ARCHITECTURE & PLANNING:
<< Drawing Offices
FIRST FLOOR . ECUCATION DEPARTMENT.
ENTRANCE NO.2 EDUCATION DEPARTMENT GROUND FLOOR. EDUCATION DEPARTMENT. LOWER GROUND FLOOR BOROUGH TREASURER << Archives a Staff Refectory. ENTRANCE NO. 1. BOROUGH TREASURERS DEPARTMENT and COLLECTION HALL. vi LIFT and STAIRS. PIAZZA ~ GROUND 7 MAIN GROUND FLOOR (CAR PARK) ENTRANCES ENTRANCE ALL DEPARTMENTS. stairs LOWER GROUND FLOOR TREASURERS PAY OFFICE.
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Entrance No. 3 leads to the central staircase and lift, and, at ground floor level beyond the lift to the Child Guidance Clinic. Entrance No. 4 is to the Health Depart- ment which includes the central Health Clinic. Just inside the entrance is a pram loggia leading to the reception area with its Food Sales counters. Corridors lead from the reception area to the Maternity and Child Welfare Clinics, Chiropody Surgery, laboratory, etc., and to the south lift and staircase which gives access to the remainder of the Health Department. On the first floor is the Schools Clinic with its reception, Dental, Audiological and Speech sections. Orthopedics, Mental Health, Health Visitors and the Lecture Hall are found on the second floor. On the third floor are the main administrative offices and the Public Health Inspectorate. Entrance No. 5 leads to the south stair- case and lift and gives access on the fourth floor to reception and enquiries for the Department of Architecture & Planning. Improvement Grant enquiries are also on this floor. Internal finishes generally have been kept very simple as this is mainly an administrative block of offices, but certain
important areas extensively used by the public have been finished in superior materials, namely the Collection Hall with natural timber veneers, the Lecture Hall, the Health Department reception and the Conference Room, the Audiological and Speech Centre, one of the most advanced designs in the country, has special acoustic treatment to walls and ceiling and is close
carpeted. Where possible existing furniture
and steel cabinets were also re-used to approximately one-third of the whole requirements after re-colouring and re- polishing. An external feature worthy of note is the treatment to the columns to the entrances on the west front. These have been clad in sawn stone slabs of a 3” modular design in three thickresses of 1”, 114%" and 134.” giving an interesting profile from any angle. Certain intermediate spaces have been filled with Exsilite tiles which is a new, very hard material, formed with fused quartz in pleasant colours. A similar mural panel is to be found on the spandrel of the piazza steps. The Bcrough coat-of-arms carved in the marble cladding and gilded with gold leaf is on the west tront adjacent to the main entrance to the Collection Hall.
“RESPECT FOR THE PAST”
1882 furnishings of the original School Board Room have been re-used and provide an interesting and sentimental link with the early days of: --~— organised education in Huddersfield.
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BOROUGH TREASURER’S DEPARTMENT
Costing, Machine and Computer Room where wages payroll, creditors’ cheques and advices are prepared.
HEALTH DEPARTMENT
Main Reception, Waiting and Food Sales
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View from High Street showing Rates Block with car parking below, ornamental pool and Piazza steps.
DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING
One of the five Drawing Offices in the Department.
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BOROUGH TREASURER’S DEPARTMENT
Collection Hall where payment of Rates, Sundry Accounts, Ground Rents etc., may be made and motor vehicle and other licences obtained.
ALBION STREET ELEVATION
showing corner of Rates Block, Child Guidance Clinic and Main Building with car parking below
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Contractors, Suppliers, etc.
GENERAL CONTRACTORS: JOHN RADCLIFFE & SONS, LTD., St. JOHN’s ROAD, HUDDERSFIELD. SUB-CONTRACTORS:
Joiner . . Plumber Plasterer Painter Electrician
Aluminium Windows
Marble, Granite Mosaic, Terrazzo, Tiling, etc. Carving of Coat of Arms
Vinyl] Tile Floorings and Skirtings
Suspended Ceilings
Electric Clocks
Fire Alarms Strong Room .. Lifts Felt Roofing ..
Balustrades, etc.
Lightning Conductors
Roof Screeds ..
Floor Screeds. .
Internal Telephones
Treadmaster .. Flooring
Burglar Alarm
Humidifiers
Edward Holdroyd & Sons Ltd., Huddersfield.
H. C. Stringer & Sons Ltd., Huddersfield.
T. B. Tunnacliffe Ltd., Huddersfield.
A. Higginbotham & Sons Ltd., Bradford.
Southern & Redfern Ltd., Bradford.
Heywood-Helliwell Ltd., Huddersfield.
A. Andrews & Sons (Marbles & Tiles) Ltd., Leeds.
Marley Tile Co. Ltd., Consett.
Darlington Insulation Co. Ltd., Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
English Clock Systems Ltd., London.
The Pyrene Co. Ltd., Brentford. Chatwood Milner Ltd., Leeds. Keighley Lifts Ltd., Bradford.
Wm. Smith & Sons, Huddersfield.
Michael Hamnet & Co. Ltd., Otley.
John Tinker & Sons Ltd., Huddersfield.
Cheecol Processes Ltd. (Northern Division) Leeds. Semtex Ltd., Leeds.
Communication Systems Ltd., London. C. & I. Supplies Ltd., Weybridge. Burgot Automatic Alarms Ltd., Leeds.
Climate Equipment Ltd., Stockport.
SUPPLIERS: Steel .. .. Firth Cleveland Reinforcements Reinforcement Ltd., Manchester. and Design Flush Doors Venesta Ltd., London.
W.C. Partitions Venesta Ltd., London.
Ironmongery .. Rycrofts Ltd., Bradford. Fire Fighting .. W. F. Wilding Ltd., Equipment Manchester. Sanitary &Co.(Yorks.) Ltd., Fittings Huddersfield. Gold Leaf Dennis M. Williams, Ltd., Mosaic Kingston-on-Thames. North Front Exsilite Tiles .. Thermal Syndicate Ltd., to columns Wallsend. Tapewriter Hartley Electromotives Ltd., Equipment Shrewsbury. Education Department
FURNITURE AND FITTINGS:
Desks, Office... J. A. Dennon Associates Ltd., Furniture, etc. Burnley.
Office Cabinets, Evertaut Ltd., Darwen. Chairs, etc.
Built-in Joinery E. Holdroyd & Sons Ltd., Fittings, Huddersfield. Specially designed units, etc.
Office Equipment Kidds Furnishing Contracts Ltd., Leeds.
Linleys (Shipley) Ltd., Shipley.
Venetian Blinds Luxaflex Venetian Blinds, supplied by Armac Blinds Ltd. fixed by H. Telfer & Son, Huddersfield.
Taylor & Hobson Ltd., Huddersfield.
Drawing Office J. Halden & Son Ltd., Furniture Stockport. Photo-Copying Machine, etc.
Carpets
Curtains
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Vital Statistics
Cost
Main Building
Total Floor Area
Number of separate rooms
Area of double-glazed windows. .
Electric Underfloor Heating Full load I
New chairs Waste paper baskets Ash trays .. Telephones
£495,000.
The above cost includes in addition to buildings, clearance of site, demolition of existing buildings, car park, furniture and fittings, telephones, public conveniences, and Outcote Bank annexe, which accommodates Stationery, Educa- tion Audio-Visual and Borough Analysts Departments. 5 storeys high.
340 feet long; 40 feet wide. 51,200 square feet. ial. 8,000 square feet.
730 k.w. 660. 355. Zea:
227 internal lines. 30 external lines. 3 coin boxes. Link lines with other departments.
Printed by Swindlehurst & Nicholson Ltd., Rashcliffe, Huddersfield