Archive Study, Public Engagement, Co-Design and Building
The Proud Place is the new LGBT+ Centre in Manchester city centre, owned and operated by The Proud Trust - a registered charity supporting LGBT+ young people across the North-West.
It replaced the first publicly funded purpose-built LGBT+ centre in the UK, which opened on the same site in 1988. Whilst it was well-loved the charity had outgrown the building, and it was difficult to maintain. It was also designed to be intentionally defensive and largely closed-off from the public realm. Feasibility studies concluded that extension and reuse were not possible.
The briefing process for the new Proud Place took place over two years, and great care was taken to ensure the building and spaces would be able to adapt to a growing and resilient organisation. Staff and user engagement was been key to the vision, brief and the design of the building, and has allowed people with lived experience and knowledge of the previous LGBT+ Centre to meaningfully contribute to the design process. The co-design process involved staff and user groups of the, informing decisions on all aspects of the project - from the layout and spaces, to the external appearance.
The new Centre is a three-storey community centre incorporating offices, meeting and activity spaces, a library and quiet space, a café/community lounge, kitchen, and a roof terrace. It is a generous building, the windows are large, corridors are spacious, and the golden exterior glistens in the sun! The building offers a unique place for the LGBT+ community, somewhere to be proud and protected, and will ensure The Proud Trust can continue their life-saving and life-enhancing work in Manchester, across the North West and in the UK.
Image Credit: Sally Ann Norman
