A good example of a 1970s brutalist public building.
Willett Estate
LLHA0142
1970 to 1973 by Wells-Thorpe & Partners, following the destruction of the original town hall (Waterhouse, 1882) on the same site in 1966. The Pevsner architectural guide (2008) describes it as a ‘gentler form of Brutalism than might have been expected at an earlier date’. The design was influenced by the town hall in Hilversum (Dudok 1931) and by other civic buildings in The Netherlands. It is formed of a complex, irregular arrangement of interlocking cubic forms, many with deeply-chamfered corners. Set back from Church Road and Norton Road, there is no separation with the adjoining public space. The exterior is of ribbed concrete panels with natural aggregate (Derbyshire Spar and Cornish Granite) and bronze-tinted patent curtain wall glazing. Jettied in places. A clock tower is set to the south east, referencing the previous Waterhouse design. The full-height entrance porch to Norton Road is of a particularly grand scale. This contrasts with the human-scale of the doors, designed to be welcoming and accessible to all; the building was one of the first to have stepfree access. Originally the Great Hall was cantilevered with a public piazza with mosaic floor beneath. This was infilled in 1991. Internally, a number of original design elements survive, particularly the generous spaces and features of the public areas. This includes wych elm wooden panelling and a dramatic wych elm ceiling with rooflights and chandeliers to the Great Hall. Aesthetically pleasing, the ceiling was also designed for enhanced acoustics. The building originally included a nuclear bunker in the basement from which the area could be administrated in case of nuclear war. The building also includes a tunnel providing direct access between the Town Hall and associated car park. Source: Antram & Morrice 2008, Historic England Designation Report (not listed) 2014, Hatherley 2012, Wells-Thorpe 2009 and pers comm.
ii A good example of a 1970s brutalist public building. Parts of the interior – in terms of both plan form and design features – survive and are well-executed (particularly to the Great Hall and other public spaces).
i Within the Willett Estate conservation area, but atypical of it due to its materials, style and date of construction. It is in keeping with the area due to its scale and height.
iii The building, due to its purpose as a public building and the prominent clock tower, forms a local landmark in Hove and along the Church Road corridor.
i Good quality buildings of this period are rare in the city
i Although altered in 1991 and 2012, it retains much of its character and features.
ii Retains its function as a public building / town hall
2015
