Epping Civic Offices

The offices, in 2023

Epping Civic Offices is a municipal building in Epping, Essex, a town in England.

The building was constructed as the headquarters of Epping Forest District Council. The council held a two-stage competition, judged by Piers Gough. It received 51 entries, and the winner was Richard Reid and Associates, with a postmodern design. This incorporated an existing mid-19th century house and a 1970s office block. Work on the building started in 1987 and was completed in 1992, with Ove Arup and Partners acting as structural engineers. The building was grade II listed in 2017. In 2021, the council refurbished the building, removing some corridors to create open-plan offices, and creating a community hub and new meeting and conference spaces. Following the refurbishment, the council sought to let the top floor to private companies.

The central part of the building is a three-storey office block, with a concrete frame, and brick and stone cladding. To its south-west is a two-storey, three-bay former house, converted into offices, and to its rear is the 1970s three-storey, rectangular office block. The three are connected by first- and second-floor corridors, while at ground floor level there is vehicular access to the rear car park. Attached to the front of the building is a tall red-brick tower, rectangular at ground level, but octagonal in top two stages. The tower has a stone cornice, and minimalist clocks on four sides. North-east of the tower is a brick arch, providing access to the reception area, with a balcony above, and stone steps providing direct access to the council chamber and its gallery. These are in a bow-fronted section, clad in reconstituted stone, with ground floor pilasters. Further to the north-east is a seven-bay section with two oriel windows, and then a four-bay section placed further forward, again clad in stone, containing the staff canteen and council members' room.