Community

An excellent example of community-focused adaptive reuse is the conversion of St James’ Church in West Hampstead, London, into The Sherriff Centre. This imaginative project has transformed a redundant church into a thriving community hub that serves local residents while preserving the building’s historic fabric.

The Grade II listed church now houses a wide range of community facilities, including a café, children’s soft play area, meeting spaces, and retail units, alongside a fully functioning post office. This combination of practical services and social spaces has created a sustainable model, ensuring the building remains active, accessible, and financially viable. Importantly, the original ecclesiastical character of the church has been respected, with many architectural features retained and celebrated within the new design.

The Sherriff Centre demonstrates how closed churches can be given a renewed purpose at the heart of their communities. By blending essential services with space for social interaction, it stands as a model for how community reuse can both preserve heritage and deliver meaningful local benefits.

Learn more about The Sheriff Centre on their website.