CONSERVATION - DELAPRE ABBEY - BRIEF

The year is well underway and inevitably it comes with assignments! ... So without further adieu, let me introduce to you our first assignment brief for this module.

DELAPRE ABBEY VISITOR CENTRE

1. Overview

You are working in an architectural practice and have been asked to produce a proposal for a client who wants to build a modest visitor centre at Delapre Abbey. The client’s aim is to enhance the visitor experience as part of wider plans to turn the Abbey and its grounds into a multi-use site, which includes a heritage attraction. Other uses will be for weddings, receptions, conferences and a range of small business ventures, but these are not part of your formal remit. The client’s aim is to make the Abbey viable and self-sustaining into the future – e.g. to enable ongoing conservation re-use, repairs and maintenance.

2. Task

A) To meet the brief requirements you will produce:

an evaluation document on the site, architecture and context (historic and protected)

a briefing document with an indicative outline proposal for the visitor centre (this focuses on your proposal, but calibrated by the protected nature of the site)

B) These documents and working drawings will therefore address the following:

The historical architectural development and nature of the site

The protected nature of the site (Listing and Conservation Area) and the implications for any changes to the existing fabric of the historic buildings – general context of the site

Your indicative outline proposal for a visitor centre which confirms:

precise location (one of several areas designated by the client)
how visitors will access it
car parking
building footprint
building height
indicative proposal for external appearance (materials)
impact on the historic fabric (a mixture of working drawings and text)

and:

precedents for your design – e.g. other visitor centres
the rationale for the overall size of the building as proposed
the rationale for it within the site / setting
specific Listed Building considerations
specific impact on existing fabric

On 16/10/14 we had an intriguing visit to Delapre Abbey led by our tutor who gave a brief history and explantion of the build. Followed by this we had an exploration of the location sites for the visitor centre. I immediately took a liking to the one next to the stable with the curved brick wall. The task at present is for me to decide whether I want to do this assignment as a group or by myself!

The four possible locations for the visitor centre: