The contractor has started work on the landmark tubular structure, which spans a main road, for Portsmouth City Council.
The two-storey hub will include a community centre, a youth centre, a primary care trust and dental surgery and a local housing office.
Its design will allow it to act as a pedestrian route, giving those living on either side of the road equal access to the facilities.
The community centre boasts a number of function rooms, a sports hall and a curved fully glazed double height community lounge at its centre.
The local housing office is arranged in double height open plan format with a mezzanine floor gallery.
Existing mature trees were retained to create external piazza spaces at either end of the building.
BAM Design is the architect and service engineer for the project, which is targeting a BREEAM Excellent rating.
Council project manager Kevin Hudson said: “It was important to residents that the design should be iconic and that the facilities that the community needs should be brought together into a building that made the best possible use of space, which is at a premium in Somerstown.”
Construction has now started on site and this first phase of the regeneration scheme is due for completion in March 2014.
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