A VINTAGE furniture goods business has announced another series of baubles modelled after a north Cumbrian landmark.

Carlisle’s Civic Centre may have dominated the city’s skyline since the 1960s but this year a mini version of the building could once more be hanging in homes all across the region.

The building opened on March 12, 1964 and the main office block building is 11 stories high, standing at 135ft above ground level.

Absolutely Nice Vintage, with the help of Studio Walden, both businesses based in the city, have produced a hand-painted retro-style glass bauble of the council building, with a limited run of 500 available.

Damian Sealey and Mark Howlette, owners of Absolutely Nice Vintage, sell vintage furniture and homeware online from their studio in Atlas Works, Carlisle.

Mr Howlette said: “A couple of years ago we had the idea to produce local Carlisle landmark baubles as this nostalgic style of Christmas product has become increasingly popular.

“We chose the Civic Centre to launch this project as it is one of only a few examples of brutalist mid-20th-century architecture within our region and deserves to be celebrated as part of the city’s wide and varied history.

“Even more so as part of the building has now sadly been demolished”.

While the building itself still sparks much debate over its design, there is a special personal connection to the Civic Centre for Mr Sealey, as he explained: “We’ve always loved the building, but it is particularly meaningful to celebrate it in this way as my dad worked as an architect in the building from 1975 until 1995.

Civic Centre BaubleCivic Centre Bauble (Image: Supplied)

“I have fond memories of visiting my dad Roger in his office on the top floor when I was young.

“I can’t imagine he would have thought the building he worked in back in the seventies would have been hanging on a Christmas tree in 2022”.

Absolutely Nice Vintage worked with Vincent Walden, from Studio Walden, to create the final bauble design.

Mr Walden said: “I wasn’t a previous fan of the building but through the process of working with Absolutely Nice Vintage on this project, I’ve come to adore it.”

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While Mr Howlette and Mr Sealey have always admired the building, doing their research for the project highlighted the importance of the structure even more.

The Civic Centre on the Carlisle skylineThe Civic Centre on the Carlisle skyline

“After researching the building we came across a plethora of wonderful photographs and news articles, which made us appreciate even more how modern and exciting this style of architecture must have been at the time.

“The building and remarkable interior were built with some of the best quality materials available which is not very well known and is something we should be proud of,” Mr Sealey added.