CIVIC CENTER

A 'civic center' or 'civic centre' (see "American and British English spelling differences") is a prominent land area within a community that is constructed to be its focal point or center. It usually contains one or more dominant public buildings, which may also include a government building. Recently, the term "civic center" has been used in reference to an entire central business district of a community or a major shopping center in the middle of a community. In this type of civic center, special attention is paid to the way public structures are grouped and landscaped.

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Notable civic centers

Civic Centres in the UK

Notable civic centers

★ San Francisco Civic Center

★ Honolulu Capitol District

★ National Mall

★ Civic Center, Denver

★ Ottawa Civic Centre

★ Hartford Civic Center

★ Providence Civic Center

★ Peoria Civic Center

★ Millennium Park

★ Cumberland County Civic Center

Civic Centres in the UK

In most cases Civic Centres in the UK are a focus for local government offices and public service buildings. With reforms of local government in London in 1965 and across England in anticipation of the implementation of the Redcliffe-Maud Report in 1974 a number of local authorities commissioned new civic centres sometimes funded by disposing of their 19th Century Town Hall buildings. Noteworthy civic centres include:

★ Swiss Cottage (1966) - planned as the administration centre for the London Borough of Camden the masterplan was only partially completed.

★ Newcastle Civic Centre (1967) - planned as administration centre for larger unitary authority.

★ Sunderland Civic Centre (1970) - as above.