The new Salvation Army Church and Community centre in Chelmsford, created by Hudson Architects, is strong and striking on one hand, and simple and practical on the other.
On the east elevation, Rockpanel Rockclad Red was chosen to reflect The Salvation Army’s branding. The elevation is made unique because of the subtle yet striking iconography etched into the board material in the form of a tree, using significant biblical references as tree-like branches to reflect the mission of The Salvation Army.
The Corps building is unusual and startling yet it manages to reflect and complement its immediate environment. The success of the new building is also contributing to achieving a more modern image of the Salvation Army within the local community of Chelmsford. Gareth Puttock, Project Architect from Hudson Architects says, “Our aim was to create a cutting edge design under tight budget constraints. To achieve this, we selected materials based on a number of criteria. Firstly, we wanted to use materials which were ‘special’ and ‘interesting’ to make the building unique. Secondly, all materials had to be low cost and quick and easy to install. And thirdly we were committed to using sustainable products wherever possible. When we compared the cladding materials on the market, Rockpanel scored highly on all fronts.”
