BDP breathes new life into Oldham’s 175-year-old town hall

The Manchester studio of global architecture and engineering firm BDP has helped breathe new life into Oldham’s historic Old Town Hall building.

The firm’s £37m project looked to return the Grade II-listed property to its former glory through a blend of the old and the new.

BDP’s work on the scheme retained all three of the site’s existing sandstone and red brick elevations while restoring some of the building’s highly decorated rooms.

Seven years ago, Oldham’s Town Hall was named among the top 10 buildings at risk by the Victorian Society heritage organisation, following decades of vacancy that saw its roof deteriorate and dry rot infect its interiors.

Now, 175 year after its first phase was completed, the Old Town Hall is preparing to relaunch as a leisure hub encompassing a seven-screen Odeon cinema and six restaurants.

One of the revitalised Old Town Hall’s most prominent aspects is the ‘light box’ – an 88.3m-long exterior feature made up of 257 glazed panels that will be illuminated at night.

To create the transformation, BDP’s interdisciplinary design team collaborated with Oldham Council, engineers from building firm Kier, Odeon architects Ellis Williams, contractor Morgan Sindall and artists Benedict Philips and Dan Dubowitz.

BDP design team leader Andrew Capewell said: “The complexity and contradiction of the original Grade II-listed building and the dramatic new light-box extension provides a wonderful and appropriately theatrical backdrop to Odeon’s new home in Oldham.

“BDP is proud to have created a unique and atmospheric environment for the cinematic experience. It is now a building reinstated at the heart of the town, a bold revitalised building to be enjoyed and cherished by everyone.”

Alan Davies, project director at BDP, commented: “Cinemas are increasingly seen as key to regenerating town centres - bringing in families, extending the trading day and adding to the night-time economy, and the project demonstrates how, with vision, this can be achieved in even the most challenging town centres.

“What made a real difference was the support from Odeon and its architects, council leaders Jean Stretton and Jim McMahon (now Oldham MP), both of whom are passionate about their town’s heritage, and a Chief Executive with experience of urban regeneration Charlie Parker (now at Westminster council).

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