Barking Town Centre

Barking Town Square and Barking Learning Centre

An award winning development designed by the architects Allford Hall Monaghan Morris, which has won the following awards:

Housing Design Award 2005
MIPIM Best Mixed Use Award 2007
British Construction Industry Award 2008 - Local Authority Award
2008 European Prize for Urban Public Space

Phase 1

We are redeveloping Barking Town Square in partnership with Redrow Regeneration Limited to create an attractive new public space at the heart of Barking. The development will provide new homes, shops, offices, leisure facilities and the new Barking Learning Centre which includes a new library and new one stop shop for council services.

The Barking Learning Centre

Barking Learning Centre opened in June 2007, and was jointly funded by Communities and Local Government, the University of East London and Barking and Dagenham College with contributions from Barking and Dagenham Council and Redrow Regeneration Limited.

The learning centre provides open access to all levels of learning, including higher and further education, together with a new library for the borough. We want it to become a centre of excellence for education and skills development for key workers in the public sector.

The range of facilities on offer at the learning centre includes:

Classrooms for adult learning
Gallery space
An express library service
A reference library
Lecture theatres
Meeting and training rooms
A crèche

The one stop shop for council services also operates from the building.

Above the learning centre are 246 new flats in a block called Ropeworks.

Public realm

Muf architecture art were commissioned to design a new Town Square for Barking, which is designated as one of the Mayor of London's 100 Public Spaces.

The first phase of the square provides a new focal point for Barking Town Centre and combines an open public space of pink granite with new furniture including purple benches and bins and new signage.

Alongside the new Barking Learning Centre is an arcade of chequer board terrazzo illuminated by chandeliers leading onto the new square. Sitting beside the square is the Secret Garden - a 7 metre high wall of reclaimed bricks which was developed by bricklayers from Barking and Dagenham College.

The first phase of the new Town Square won the 2008 European Prize for Urban Public Space. This biennial competition recognises and encourages activities aimed at recovering and creating spaces of cohesion in cities.

This is the first project in Britain to receive the prize, and all those involved are delighted that the regeneration work has been recognised in such a prestigious way.

Phase 2

Construction of Phase 2 of Barking Town Square is almost complete.

The Arboretum

Contact

Jennie Coombs

Housing Regeneration Manager - Barking Town Centre

3rd Floor

Maritime House

1 Linton Road

Barking

IG11 8HG

Tel: 020 8227 5736

Fax: 020 8227 5326

Minicom: 020 8227 5750

Email: jennie.coombs@lbbd.gov.uk|