Trafford Town Hall, Manchester
Multi-award winning civic headquarters for Trafford Council

5plus led the transformation of this multi-award winning civic headquarters for Trafford Council. The project comprised the refurbishment of the existing Grade II listed town hall, the design of a new highly sustainable office extension and the interior fit out of both old and new buildings.

Our design  addresses the Council’s fundamental aims of transformational change in how it delivers its services to the people of Trafford and supports the integration of new, flexible ways of working such as desk sharing. Project aims were to reduce desk allocation whilst improving efficiency and staff retention through vastly improved internal environments.

Our proposals were based around four distinct components as follows:

• The sensitive refurbishment of the existing town hall to create high quality meeting, conference, training and dining facilities for office workers as well as the wider community.

• 35,000 sqft of new sustainable office space accommodated within three, 2 storey wings.

• A new highly transparent public reception and elegantly clad conference facility fronting Warwick Road.

• A two storey high “Internal street” which acts as the main organiser of the building and around which all three of the above components are hung.

The new 35,000 sqft sustainable office space is accommodated within three, 2 storey wings aiming to reduce desk allocation, improve efficiency and staff retention. All three of the above components are connected by a two storey high “internal street” acting as the main organiser of the building. The 3 office wings are 15 metres wide allowing for good natural daylight and the integration of natural ventilation. This highly sustainable strategy is further supported through the use of active chilled beams combined with an exposed concrete frame to create a low energy strategy during times when cooling is required.

As part of the refurbishment of the original Town Hall building, we were commissioned to refurbish the original council debating chamber.