The community centre no longer complied with modern needs and was therefore subjected to a complete refurbishment. The main aims of the scheme were to remove constructional deficiencies and functional weaknesses and to improve the fire protection. At the same time, the spirit of the 70s’ architecture was to be retained, and the measures implemented were to be recognizable as dating from the late 1990s. The individual cubes were accentuated in their physical form by applying full thermal insulation and mineral rendering in a uniform colour to all facades. The mixed form of construction is reflected in the treatment of the windows: those in the skeleton-frame facade have been linked to create dark continuous strips, while the solid walls of the building are punctuated by individual rectangular openings. By lowering the floor of the atrium to basement level and linking all storeys via a steel staircase that provides access to the roof terrace, the building acquires a bold spatial core. The adjoining spaces also benefit from better daylighting and natural ventilation. The parish hall can now be reached via a ramp from the church square and, with new areas of undivided glazing, it is oriented to the large terrace raised on a steel structure above the existing roof.
