Reading buildings news, Berkshire architecture designs, UK architects offices, Southern English property proposals

Reading Buildings: Architecture

Key Buildings in Berkshire, southeast England, UK.

post updated 23 January 2025

21 November 2023
European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts Headquarters, Whiteknights campus, University of Reading
Design: BDP

image courtesy of architects practice
European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts
The University of Reading campus is set to become home to the largest cluster of weather and climate scientists in the world, following agreement to build a new, sustainable, state-of-the-art headquarters for the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) on the University’s Whiteknights campus.

14 Sep 2023
The Victorian Society urges Government to ensure Reading Gaol’s sale allows public access to important part of the UK’s queer history

“something was dead in each of us, and what was dead was hope.”

Oscar Wilde The Ballad of Reading Gaol

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Reading Gaol Building News

The Save Reading Gaol campaign has tweeted that a sale has been agreed for the redevelopment of Reading Gaol, (former HMP Reading). While it is rumoured that the sale will be to a charitable organisation, the Victorian Society has written to the Justice and Heritage Ministers urging the Government to ensure that the sale will ensure public access to this important listed Victorian building, one of the key physical places in the UK’s queer history.

photo : Ballad of Reading Gaol by williamsdb is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

The Government previously refused Reading Borough Council’s £2.6 million offer for the historic building where Oscar Wilde was infamously incarcerated 1895-1897, which was later immortalised in his poem The Ballad of Reading Gaol. The Council wished to transform the Gaol into a cultural hub, a plan which has widespread support. Grade II-listed Reading Gaol is a significant building, designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott and William Boynthon Moffatt in 1842-4, it is a particularly fine and interesting example of a 19th century prison complex. The imposing, fortress-style design is an early work by one of England’s leading Victorian architects. Its ground-breaking radial plan made allowed prisoners to be kept in solitary confinement and constantly surveilled.

Crowds observing Banksy’s new escaping convict on Reading Gaol. The mural of an escaping prisoner – possibly resembling famous inmate Oscar Wilde – appeared on the walls of the disused Reading jail on Monday 01 March 2021. Reading prison famously housed Irish writer Wilde between 1895 and 1897 and was immortalised by his poem Ballad of Reading Gaol, which reflected on the brutality of the Victorian penal system:

photo : Steve Daniels / Banksy’s escaping convict on Reading Gaol / CC BY-SA 2.0

The Save Reading Gaol campaign, formed in 2019, has advocated for the development of the building as a community and arts venue. This would allow the building to make a strong cultural contribution to the town, and this historic site would be accessible to all. These benefits would be lost if the Gaol is developed for residential use.

The Victorian Society’s letter to Government stresses that HM Treasury’s guidance on the valuation of public sector assets for disposal requires an assessment of ‘any other social cost and benefits that may arise due to disposal’. This notes that ‘Public sector assessment of value is based upon the interests of society as a whole and is not an assessment of value to the public sector alone’.

Connor McNeill, Conservation Advisor, said
“Reading Gaol as a significant historic building has the potential to generate significant public benefits and interest which in turn will create visits to Reading providing economic stimulus in the long term.”

Save reading gaol campaign understand sale agreed for charitable purposes https://twitter.com/SaveReadingGaol/status/1695097885585547512

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Building Developments in Reading

We’ve selected what we feel are the key examples of Reading Buildings, Berkshire. We aim to include projects that are either of top quality or interesting, or ideally both.

We cover completed Reading buildings, new building designs, architectural exhibitions and architecture competitions across Berkshire. The focus is on contemporary buildings but information on traditional buildings is also welcome.

We have 1 page of Reading Architecture selections with links to many individual project pages.

Reading Building Developments

Reading Architecture News – latest additions to this page, arranged chronologically:

14 Sep 2020
Davidson Office Building, Forbury Square
Design: dn-a architects

photo © Andy Stagg
Davidson Office Building
dn-a’s refresh has propelled Davidson forward to become one of the most sought-after office environments in the highly competitive Thames Valley office market.

10 Jan 2020
Thames Tower, Davidson & The Clubhouse Buildings in Reading
Designs: dn-a Architects

photo © Jack Hobhouse
Thames Tower, Davidson & The Clubhouse Buildings
The redevelopment of this tired 1970s building next to Reading station has created an elegant new landmark for the town centre.

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17 Dec 2017
Civitas Academy, Great Knollys Street
Design: HCC (Hampshire County Council) Architects

photo : Jim Stephenson
Civitas Academy Reading Building
In 2012 there was an expected demand of 2520 additional primary schools places across the Borough of Reading by 2017. A site selection process was developed from a review of the current and previous admissions and the establishment of a new academy in the Oxford Road area has become a key regeneration project for the local community.

27 Apr 2017
Royal Elm Park Development, Reading
Design: NRY Architects, a Malaysian firm, is working on the design work for the convention centre
Design: Barton Willmore, UK, leads the local team and the town planning, environmental planning, environmental planning and residential architecture and public realm design work

photo from architecture office
Royal Elm Park Reading
The development will deliver a world-class convention centre, hundreds of new homes, significant new public space, an exciting mix of high-quality retail, leisure and hotel space, all of which will be supported by a substantial investment in public transport for both match and non-match day visitors.

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30 Jul 2013
100 Longwater Avenue
Design: TateHindle

photo from architect practice
100 Longwater Avenue
Architectural practice TateHindle has completed the comprehensive refurbishment of several office and support buildings set in landscaped grounds at Green Park, south of Reading. The work adds to the firm’s impressive track record at the 195-acre business park, located next to the Madejski Stadium, home of Reading FC.

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Reading Architecture

Key Reading Architecture, alphabetical:

Dee Park
2007-
Design: HTA

image from architects office
Dee Park Reading
Inspace has secured its largest ever housing regeneration scheme with joint venture RSL partner Catalyst Housing Group. The two have been given the green light to progress the £140 million transformation of Dee Park estate in Tilehurst, Reading, with nearly 800 new homes after Reading Borough Council announced their appointment following a two year selection process.

Douai Abbey, Woolhampton
1966
Frederick Gibberd & Partners

Forbury Square
2003
Porphyrios Associates Masterplan; buildings by Porphyrios Associates & Lifschutz Davidson

ICMA Centre, Reading University
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Rick Mather Architects

John Madejski Academy, Reading
2007
Design: Wilkinson Eyre Architects

photograph : James Brittain
John Madejski Academy
The design for the Academy buildings will separate general teaching spaces from those with specific servicing requirements, the space being divided into learning clusters and central facilities, all situated at a comfortable distance from the site’s boundaries. An external, covered ‘agora’ space will link the buildings, along with three bridges at first floor level.