Reading Civic Centre
Encyclopedia
Reading Civic Centre is a civic centre
in the town of Reading
, itself in the English
county of Berkshire
. The centre dates from the mid-1970s.
The civic centre comprises four adjacent and interlinked buildings:
All four buildings are positioned around the southern and western sides of an above-ground public plaza, with the area below the buildings and plaza given over to service roads and car parking structures. To the north the plaza is bounded by the Broad Street Mall, a contemporaneous shopping mall.
near today's Yield Hall Lane. After a brief stay in what later became Greyfriars Church
, the town council created a new town hall by inserting an upper floor into the refectory of the Hospitium of St John, the former hospitium
of Reading Abbey
. This was to remain the site of Reading's civic administration, through the successive re-buildings that eventually created today's Reading Town Hall
, until the 1970s.
By the 1950s the administration of the town of Reading had overflowed the available offices in the Town Hall, and the council decided to build new civic offices. The decision was taken to build these at the opposite end of the town centre from the Town Hall, where land was available following slum clearance.
The architect for the new civic offices was the firm of Robert Matthew, Johnson-Marshall & Partners
, who also designed the new police station and Hexagon theatre. The new civic offices opened in 1976, followed by the Hexagon in 1977.
Civic center
A civic center or civic centre is a prominent land area within a community that is constructed to be its focal point or center. It usually contains one or more dominant public buildings, which may also include a government building...
in the town of Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
, itself in the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
county of Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
. The centre dates from the mid-1970s.
The civic centre comprises four adjacent and interlinked buildings:
- Reading Civic Offices, housing the offices of Reading Borough Council
- Reading Police Station, the local headquarters of the Thames Valley PoliceThames Valley PoliceThames Valley Police, formerly known as Thames Valley Constabulary, is the territorial police force responsible for policing the Thames Valley area covered by the ceremonial counties of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire....
- Reading Magistrates' Court, the local magistrates' courtMagistrates' CourtA magistrates' court or court of petty sessions, formerly known as a police court, is the lowest level of court in England and Wales and many other common law jurisdictions...
- The HexagonThe HexagonThe Hexagon is a multi-purpose arts venue and theatre with a capacity of 1,200 in central Reading, Berkshire, England. It is named for its shape....
, a local multi-purpose arts venue and theatre
All four buildings are positioned around the southern and western sides of an above-ground public plaza, with the area below the buildings and plaza given over to service roads and car parking structures. To the north the plaza is bounded by the Broad Street Mall, a contemporaneous shopping mall.
History
Prior to the 16th century, civic administration for the town of Reading was situated in the Yield Hall, a guild hall situated by the River KennetRiver Kennet
The Kennet is a river in the south of England, and a tributary of the River Thames. The lower reaches of the river are navigable to river craft and are known as the Kennet Navigation, which, together with the Avon Navigation, the Kennet and Avon Canal and the Thames, links the cities of Bristol...
near today's Yield Hall Lane. After a brief stay in what later became Greyfriars Church
Greyfriars Church, Reading
Greyfriars Church is an evangelical Anglican church in the town centre of Reading, in the English county of Berkshire. The church forms part of the Church of England's Diocese of Oxford....
, the town council created a new town hall by inserting an upper floor into the refectory of the Hospitium of St John, the former hospitium
Hospitium
Hospitium , hospitality, among the Greeks and Romans, was of a twofold character: private and public.-Private:In Homeric times all strangers without exception, were regarded as being under the protection of Zeus Xenios, the god of strangers and suppliants...
of Reading Abbey
Reading Abbey
Reading Abbey is a large, ruined abbey in the centre of the town of Reading, in the English county of Berkshire. It was founded by Henry I in 1121 "for the salvation of my soul, and the souls of King William, my father, and of King William, my brother, and Queen Maud, my wife, and all my ancestors...
. This was to remain the site of Reading's civic administration, through the successive re-buildings that eventually created today's Reading Town Hall
Reading Town Hall
Reading Town Hall is the town hall for the town of Reading, in the English county of Berkshire. The town hall was built in several phases between 1786 and 1897, although the principal facade was designed by Alfred Waterhouse in 1875...
, until the 1970s.
By the 1950s the administration of the town of Reading had overflowed the available offices in the Town Hall, and the council decided to build new civic offices. The decision was taken to build these at the opposite end of the town centre from the Town Hall, where land was available following slum clearance.
The architect for the new civic offices was the firm of Robert Matthew, Johnson-Marshall & Partners
RMJM
RMJM is an international architectural practice founded in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1956 by architects Robert Matthew and Stirrat Johnson-Marshall. The first offices of the practice were its headquarters in Edinburgh, and another in London...
, who also designed the new police station and Hexagon theatre. The new civic offices opened in 1976, followed by the Hexagon in 1977.