UNDERSTANDING THE IMPORTANCE OF A HERITAGE CONTEXT IN MASTERPLANNING

At Purcell, we endeavor to understand individual heritage assets within both their geographical and historical context, to transform a site to its reach its utmost potential.

For example, at Elsecar Heritage Centre we have delivered a scheme of wide-ranging improvements, to increase the area’s establishment as a major heritage attraction and international visitor destination. Over ten years, isolated projects such as the refurbishment of the old Beam Engine, and a new visitors centre have linked together to create a place that inspires, makes sense of people and places, and drives business growth to create an exciting new future for this heritage hub.

PROVIDING SUSTAINABLE DESIGN SOLUTIONS FOR A NET-ZERO CARBON FUTURE

Our thinking typically begins with how we can best keep and re-use existing assets – not only because these buildings might be of cultural or social value, but more simply because retention avoids the waste of tonnes of embodied energy and carbon caused by demolition, thereby reducing human impact. We optimise lowcarbon performance in use with intelligent servicing strategies. With quality and flexibility of design we minimise future depreciation and life-cycle cost, creating resilient buildings that can adapt to societal needs within an increasingly climate-conscious world.

Our Sustainability Credentials

• Purcell has measuring and reducing the carbon impact of our buisnesses operations for 14 years and offset all our calculated emmissions.

• We are official signatories of Architects’ Declare, Heritage Declares and the RIBA 2030 climate challenge.

• We have staff with specialisms in Passivhaus, BREEAM and RIBA EnerPHit design codes.

• We consistently achieve BREEAM Outstanding and Excellent ratings for refurbishment and new buildings in the most sensitive of historic settings.

• We hold ISO 14001 Environmental Management System Accreditation.

Public Buildings For A Sustainable Future

Our new visitor centre at the North End Shipyard in Hull has been designed to exacting Passivhaus standards to create a Net Zero Carbon solution. This pioneering project is the first cultural project in the UK to take Passivhaus out of its typical residential context.

Building Social Value With The Public Sector

Our public projects facilitate new sustainable solutions to optimise assets for the communities they serve.

At Manchester Town Hall, for example, we have captured an equivalent £1.5million in Social Value in RIBA Stages 3 and 4 alone*, revealing fresh benefits far beyond the traditional bottom line.

Architectural training also contributes significantly to social value. This initiative includes employing an array of talented apprentices (pictured) in partnership with Gateshead College’s #PlanBEE programme. Our training programme teaches our up-and-coming architects, emphasising the development of building construction and its changing craft techniques over time which complements design-focused architectural schools.

More specifically, the town-hall scheme will bring this Victorian Grade-I listed site into alignment with 21st century civic needs, including major fabric repairs and public realm improvements, extensive MEP upgrades and enhanced accessibility for all. A new visitor centre plus improved events and workspace facilities will also be provided.

New Futures For Historic Highstreets

Historic town centres have huge potential to be enriching places to live, work and explore. We are dedicated to rejuvenating our historic high streets through an expert knowledge of historical character, significance, condition and conservation. Working in partnership with local authorities, Historic England and other government agencies, we have injected vitality into areas and restored local confidence by using heritage-led regeneration as a catalyst for change. This change is led from Conservation Area Appraisals and Management Plans, Supplementary Planning Notes, Design Guides and architectural interventions to historic buildings and public realms

Broadening Audiences For Learning And Wellbeing

Purcell has a startling portfolio of cultural projects, many of which have been delivered through the National Lottery Heritage Fund’s grants system and includes museums, galleries and historic properties open to the public. The benefits are wide-ranging, from broadening audiences and access to cultural heritage through to high-end conservation of fabric and the powerful re-presentation of collections.

MARK RICHARDS, DIRECTOR GENERAL, NATIONAL MUSEUM WALES

Purcell played an important role in supporting the museum in its Heritage Lottery Fund Round 2 bid, which was successful in securing a HLF grant of £12m.

Challenging Convention In The Cultural Sector

As part of a transformative £13 million project at the Manchester Museum, Purcell were commissioned to design the museum’s new gallery and exhibition space in addition to improving the museum’s accessibility and circulation through the introduction of a new main entrance foyer and visitor facilities located on one of Manchester’s busiest roads. The new gallery extension sits within the museum’s historic courtyard of grade II and II* listed buildings which form part of the University of Manchester.

Rejuventating Cultural Assets For Current And Future Audiences

Originally serving Hull’s extensive maritime trade, the Grade-II* Listed, 1860s dock office was converted into a museum in the 1970s. The museum is held in high regard by the local community, deserving of refurbishment that meets modern visitor expectations within the museum sector and enhances its connection with the community. Our work rationalises the functionality and adjacency of spaces, visitor flow and access whilst opening up previously private areas of the building to the public, linked by a central atrium that provides a nodal orientation point. The conservation management plans we produced were instrumental in shaping the approach to design and unlocking the consents process.

A beautifully designed, well-delivered new build and refurbishment project which provides important tourism and leisure facilities with both regional and local impact.

Celebrating Great People Of The Nation

Reimagining Wordsworth is an ambitious project that brings William Wordsworth’s poetry and legacy alive for new and existing audiences. Completed in 2020, the 250th anniversary of the poet’s birth, the project has transformed Dove Cottage and the Wordsworth Museum and strengthened the connection between Wordsworth ‘s poetry and the luscious Cumbrian landscape., whilst celebrating Wordsworth’s significance in fresh new ways.

Transforming Heritage For The Modern Family

Negotiations with key conservation authorities made for a smooth approval process to internally and externally upgrade this listed residence in the centre of York. Through the removal of inappropriate later additions, we were able to integrate new design features while revealing the building’s original form and character.

We are really delighted with our new house. We knew roughly what we liked but simply didn’t have the skills or the vision to see how that could be achieved. Purcell listened and worked with us to develop a family home with a distinct ‘wow factor’. We couldn’t be happier with the outcome.

Reinventing Brownfield Urban Sites

For our clients in Salford we have designed a successful Private Rented Sector (PRS) scheme in a conservation area context, which also combines commercial and leisure workspace to meet modern demands of living and wellbeing.

Building Capacity For Education To Thrive

We help our education-sector clients ensure their facilities and capacity maintain pace with market expectations. This includes the RetroFit and upgrade of existing assets as well as the development of new, such as the Richardson Road site on behalf of Newcastle University.

Creating Smarter And Healthier Places To Work

The expectations placed on the quality and performance of our places of work are rapidly evolving and are now set to be even higher in a post-Covid-19 world. A shift away from soulless production centres towards vibrant, healthy places to do business continues. Mental and physical wellbeing, collaborative working, flexibility of tenure, smart technologies and sustainable operations all have to be factored in, as demonstrated by our scheme at Holyhead Market Hall.

Reinventing An Urban Icon

Our plans to convert Manchester’s Grade II*listed London Road Fire Station will transform the site into a hive of activity. The former Engine Room will be converted for hospitality use, retaining the historic interior of glazedbrick walls. Workspace will be geared towards the creative and tech industries. The former police station will be converted into a gym and wellness facility, while the Coroners Court will be preserved and fitted to host functions and events. Elsewhere, a 42-bed boutique hotel will provide accommodation in the north and east wings of the building, focused around the ground-floor entrance on Whitworth Street.

A reinvigorated central courtyard will ‘form the social heart’ of the development, with retail, leisure and wide-ranging food and beverage options occupying the perimeter.

RE-PURPOSING RETAIL ASSETS IN A CHANGING WORLD

Progressive changes in consumer habits and expectations will continue to apply major pressure on the retail sector. We work with clients in urban cores to transform surplus retail property into viable hospitality and leisure outlets, residential units or community facilities. In this example within the listed Victoria Quarter in Leeds we delivered a bespoke dining scheme for a national brand that has turned high-end former retail space into a vibrant and successful new restaurant offer.

Decades Of Supporting Places Of Worship

We are proud of our close connection with places of worship, one of the founding roots of Donovan Purcell’s early Practice. Through care, conservation and creativity we work with our clients on a range of project types, from masterplanning and feasibility studies to repair and conservation and the creation of new enterprising facilities. This helps to keep these institutions relevant in a dynamic world, while maintaining some of the UK’s most prized heritage buildings. Over the span of ten years, we led the landmark restoration and renewal of Newcastle Cathedral. Through a series of fundamental changes the project delivered a civic space fit fo the 21st Century, whilst celebrating its historical significance and elegance.

Enhancing Assets To Meet Need

At Radley College in Oxford Purcell have designed and implemented a new extension to the Grade II* chapel. This has greatly enhanced its capacity and now enables its continued use as a dedicated and vibrant place of worship.