Rural Life Museum
The redevelopment of the rural life museum in Glastonbury includes galleries inserted into the existing farm buildings without changing the sense of the place, and new circulation and learning spaces integrated into the pattern of old buildings.
The architecture was carefully co-ordinated with the exhibition design. Internal reorganisation was key. The main entrance through the farmhouse was re-established. The old courtyard was opened up and visitor access and flow improved to all levels in the building.
Gorilla House
Bristol Zoo’s gorilla family is growing so their den space has been doubled. This has been converted from the 1872 giraffe house, and is equipped with timber climbing frames, an adaptable network of ropes and a splash pool.
Visitors are allowed to walk through the space in a new steel and glass hide, over which the gorillas can walk, making them predominant. A new extension for the keepers overlooks the gorilla island.
Torre Abbey
Redevelopment of Museum and Art Gallery for Torbay Council.
The whole site and Grade 1 listed building has been reorganised to incorporate major museum and gallery accommodation, and gardens. It involves a new cloister walk and entrance building.
The project had Heritage Lottery and English Heritage funding and has been carried out in three phases, with a fourth anticipated.
Godolphin House
A project involving repair, adaptation and conversion of an important complex, comprising mansion, early gardens, farm, farm buildings and stables.
Carried out in several phases to establish visitor facilities, holiday accommodation, entrance and interpretation building, site access and infrastructure.
Nailsea Tithe Barn
Repair, alteration and extension of a tithe barn, to create a community building and council office.
The 15th century barn had been converted to school use and became dilapidated. Original spaces have been retrieved and a new service extension added to provide fitting and practical facilities for the town.
Tewkesbury Tourist Information & Exhibition Centre
Repair, conversion and extension of a Tudor and C17th Grade II* listed timber frame building into a Tourist Information and Exhibition Centre, acting as a hub for other attractions in the town.
The scheme kept as much of the original fabric as possible, to which were added new elements. The existing building houses the main functions, and a small extension at the rear has unlocked the complex circulation requirements, gaining disabled access throughout.
Nothe Fort
A comprehensive repair of the coastal fort at the mouth of Weymouth harbour, and its conversion into a Museum of Coastal Defences.
Involvement started with a condition survey, conservation plan and feasibility study for the development of the fort as a museum, through to completion of the building works on site. This included the complete reconstruction of the earth ramparts, waterproofing of the gun deck and underground magazines, a new glass lift and shop.
Hestercombe Gardens Visitor Centre
New visitor centre for an 18th century landscape garden, and a 20th century garden by Edwin Lutyens and Gertrude Jekyll.
It required the repair and extensive alterations of a stable complex to make ticket office facilities, cafe, shop, function and interpretation areas as well as external ramps, walks and landscaping to control and improve access and setting for the gardens.
Lyscombe Chapel & Priest’s House
Lyscombe Chapel and Priest’s House had fallen into a ruinous state. They were repaired with EH and DEFRA grants, and converted into a public space and overnight shelter for walkers on the Downland Way.
The chapel has been simply repaired with the traditional trades of lime mortar, masonry, green oak carpentry and thatched roofing.
Complex archaeological assessment and presentation of ruins, ancient church and landscape.
The Priest House walls were stabilised and the tops weathered, skillfully carried out by the contractor.
Stover School Art Building
The grade 1 house and parkland were analysed and possibilities explored, to establish the feasibility of future development for Stover School. The art building was the first housing the school’s art and media classrooms.
They demonstrate the potential for light, modern architecture to sit appropriately in an historic setting while making its own positive contribution.