Tidworth Development Trust

Tidworth Development Trust was starting to establish a multipurpose community center in a rural garrison town. The group wanted to build a community center as they feel there is no community heart in Tidworth.

The town of Tidworth is a rural garrison town in Wiltshire, near Andover and Salisbury. Around 80% of the population is army personnel and their families. Many other residents feel the population is fluctuating because of this. There are many men deployed and their wives go back home if they have no children to care for. In 1991 the Country council wanted to research the issued that are faced by the town of Tidworth. In 1997 they put half of a million pounds into the local area. Part of it was used for a community development worker.

Many workshops and discussions aimed to make the building the heart of Tidworth to link together existing facilities as well as provide a place for the people in the community that they would want to visit. To make these dreams a reality the Tidworth Development Trust made sure to have their design responded to the facilities that existed and fit in with the town design. They also took into consideration the needs and desires of the people that would be using the building.

The Glass House group helped to start a brainstorming session with members of the Tidworth Development Trust to think about the functions for the building and begin to develop the ideas about the design of the building. They also organized and lead a tour where members of the group visited various buildings within London.  The support of the Glass House was essential. It was at the correct level giving young people to explore the feel and sight of the new building.