BDP pulls into Swindon sites

BDP is designing two cultural centres in Swindon at a total cost of 4.5m.

The client,Thamesdown Borough Council, is asking for 65 per cent of the funding from the National Heritage Memorial Fund. It invited BDP to join in a credentials pitch for the commission. Those pitching included DY Davies, which created a masterplan for the site in 1987 (DW 10 July 1987).

The railway heritage centre will be on the site of former Great Western Railway works in Swindon.

Jasper Jacob Associates is designing the permanent exhibition for this project. JJA participated in a credentials pitch against ten other consultancies. The exhibition will include working locomotives.

“The centre will be partly cultural and partly entertainment, with some shopping facilities,” says BDP architectural associate Philip Ainsworth.

The second project is a local history centre and art gallery, called The Swindon Story, to be in a listed building which BDP will convert.