St Mary Stoke Newington has two churches, located either side of Church Street in the Clissold Park Conservation Area, the Old Church dating from the mid-16th century and the ‘New’ Victorian one. The ‘New’ Church was designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott and completed in 1856. The spire and a further vestry were added by his son John Oldrid Scott in 1890. The church is Grade II*, the adjacent rectory, which bounds the landscape in the south, is Grade II listed. In 1996 the vestry was partially enveloped by an small community centre extension. 

Our brief for the new centre was to transform and extend the existing centre, which was felt to severely limit the community through a lack of capacity, functionality and accessibility. The new building infills the courtyard area of the 1996 extension and frames, together with church and rectory, the large open space between church and rectory, into which the community spills out during events. 

Our key conceptual approach considered the new building as an extension of the existing narrative of the ‘collection of buildings’– connected by a circumferential route, which historically existed. 

The new core is inserted to define a cloister route along the fabric of the historic buildings, with natural conversation niches between its large stone buttresses. Strategic openings illuminate these cloister spaces with intimate natural lighting and draw views up onto church elevation. 

The large multi-purpose hall is suitable for various activities and events including eating and community learning. Very different group and privacy requirements informed the design of the various spaces. The main hall can be sub-divided into two smaller spaces and is connected to a semi commercial kitchen and a service core comprising WCs & showers, staff office and storage. 

The materiality of the new façade respectfully completes the palette and hues of the surrounding buildings whilst the type of brick and detailing are clearly of today. Glazed bricks form a subtle pattern of light responding calmly to the rich tapestry of George Gilbert Scott.