New Offices for Southwark Council opened

Southwark Council are currently occupying the third and final building at Queens Road in Peckham, a major component in their Modernise 2 programme. This has been part of a continued rationalisation and upgrading of their workplace facilities including a Customer Contact Centre and space for administrative staff brought together from a number of locations. AMA with Mott McDonald and Overbury have helped the Council provide consistently more effective and appropriate spaces that not only bring the users together in the heart of the Borough, but also release other buildings and sites for better uses.
This follows on from the Council’s Modernise 1 programme which created an efficient and effective centralised facility for approximately 2000 workplaces in Tooley Street in 2009.

Inside Southwark's Queen's Road Offices
All pictures © AMA 2013

Light Touch Library Refurbishments

AMA’s David Jenkin gave a presentation on ‘Light Touch Library Refurbishments’ at AMA on Tuesday. He explained how AMA has been helping Southwark council to transform three of its libraries: Will Alsop’s iconic Peckham Library, Dulwich Library, and currently Blue Anchor Library in Bermondsey.

AMA has been able to improve library facilities these locations substantially, with modest budgets. Through rearranging of shelving, relocating help desks and other facilities, making better use of daylight, and providing some artwork, it was possible to alter the look and feel of these libraries significantly. Previously, this simple approach to design was employed for the refurbishment of John Harvard Library, which AMA led in 2009/10.

In stark contrast to most boroughs, Southwark Council has an ongoing programme to improve the quality of their libraries and have recently opened their new Canada Water Library, while Camberwell Library is under construction.

AMA has a wide range of expertise in library design, and was involved in  the design and renovation of public and university libraries at international, national, regional, and local scale.

Dulwich Library (left), Peckham library (centre and right)
Photos: C. Ford, M. Allport, X. McGinnly

Southwark Council's New Contact Centre Opened

Southwark Council opened their new in-house contact centre in Queens Road, Peckham on 15 August 2013. The quality of the working environment received very positive comments in the speeches given by Council Leader Cllr Peter John, Deputy Mayor Cllr Sunil Chopra, Head of Customer Experience Richard Selley and three apprentices.

AMA has been working closely with the Council on the design of three adjacent local facilities at Queens Road, and this was the second one to open. The third is currently on site and due to be occupied in early 2014.

For further information click on the Contact Centre, click here and here.

A forward thinking approach to a 'Children Looked After' facility

AMA's extensive refurbishment of 7 Talfourd Place for Southwark Council's 'Children Looked After' programme has just finished on site and has been handed over to the client. The project saw a complete reworking of the existing building to meet a complex brief and provide an uplifting and forward-thinking new facility.