Lloyd Leon Community Centre

The Lloyd Leon Community Centre (LLCC) is an incredibly important asset for the Afro Caribbean Community in Brixton, not only because of its current use as an active hub, but also due to its history. The LLCC was gifted to the Afro Caribbean Community in the 80’s after the Brixton Uprisings as a recommendation of the Lord Scarman report to be a Brixton Sports & Social Club – a place that served to provide a home, centre and support for the black community in Brixton. It has since become home to the award-winning Immortal Brixton Dominoes Club and the Brixton Soup Kitchen, both of which achieve more than their names suggest.

Our role is now to work with the users of the LLCC and the wider community to identify a shared future vision- one that’s collectively aspirational and sustainable and one that will be translated into the redevelopment and renovation of its current grade II listed building and bespoke yet flexible/ programmable activities.
Our engagement to date has consisted of a layered approach, one that fluctuates between immersion, insight gathering, design and focus groups. This layered approach has enabled us to co-design and test concepts together as a design team and with the community as the focal, leading voice.

Through immersion by attending dominoes events and volunteering at the soup kitchen has allowed us to embed ourselves within their ‘day in a life’, whilst building trust with the current and future occupants. Our approach has also enabled us to communicate how we’re using their insight and voice as part of the design process and towards a shared vision and feasibility study for the LLCC. Our engagement also works with the council as internal stakeholders, understanding opportunities from a spatial, licensing and conservationist view too.

ClientBe FirstLocationBarking, London, UKServicesCo-design, Co-buildYear2021 AccoladesNLA 2021 - Shortlisted in the MEANWHILE categoryCollaboratorsFabrik, Waites, Be First