Pulteney Centre, Wick

Pulteney Centre, Wick

Project: new Community Centre at Wick for ‘Pulteneytown Peoples Project’
The brief was to create a new £3.8m Community Centre in Wick for Pulteneytown People’s Project to achieve an attractive, well-supported Facility for people of the town – comprising Large Hall, Offices, IT suite, Nursery, Canteen, Kitchen, Meeting rooms, After-school club, Art studio, Music room and Ancillary accommodation. The construction was completed by Contractors ‘M M Miller Building & Construction’ on a ‘Design and Build’ basis. The Centre was opened in February 2012 and has become a very successful part of Community Life in Wick.
The Management has secured leasing Contracts providing accommodation for regular Groups including a Creche, Morning and after School clubs, Sports groups, Youth Club, Girls Club, IT Training, Cookery Training (in their commercial kitchen), Pottery Classes….. etc. There is a permanent Café/ Bistro that serves excellent food in a pleasant atmosphere, and a Soft Play Area run by qualified staff where Parents can safely leave their children, while relaxing in the café or using the Facilities at the Centre. The large hall caters for a variety of sports, entertainment events and has a 150 seat cinema.

The site for the building was severely restricted in area and was sloping down the length of the building. The Main Elevation incorporates a curved glazed façade, natural local Caithness stone, horizontal larch cladding and panels of wet-dash roughcast. Standing seam flat and curved roof sheeting was used for the main roofing fabric which increased the dynamics of the design.

(Photographs by Alison White Photography)