At a Glance
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40%
Visitor Increase
- Location
- Bristol, United Kingdom
- Offices
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-
Client
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Royal West of England Academy
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Architect
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Childs+Sulzmann Architects
- Location
- Bristol, United Kingdom
- Offices
- Client
-
- Royal West of England Academy
- Architect
- Childs+Sulzmann Architects
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Widely known as Bristol’s original art gallery, the Royal West of England Academy (RWA) opened in 1844. Looking to transform their Grade II listed art gallery into the most welcoming gallery in the South West, our team helped improve building access, user experience, and raise the gallery’s overall profile nationally.
Meeting the brief to improve public accessibility to the gallery, our team designed a very large lift pit for a three-tonne lift to the side of the building, big enough to fit four wheelchair users at a time and allowing the gallery to host a portfolio of much bigger art pieces. We also engineered a new, more accessible space which provides step-free access into the building, and transporter vehicles can now park at the front to help safe passage of artwork into the gallery—in turn creating new events space for outdoor functions.
Faced with a significant site level slope and a Grade II listed structure, the design of the new lift shaft to the side of the building required very sensitive engineering design. The site level sloped downwards, with the lift shaft occupying the space of an existing deep external stairwell. This made the design technically complex due to excavations undermining a retaining wall bounding the space and supporting a neighbouring church. It was also in extremely close proximity to a strategic sewer that ran across the corner of the lift pit and under the building. Our team created a solution with temporary works to support the deep excavation to create the lift pit to safeguard the neighbouring properties and protect the sewer.
Modernisation of heritage assets always require sympathetic and sensitive work in challenging structural and geotechnical situations. With the work now complete, RWA and its visitors can enjoy a welcoming, accessible atmosphere that will last long into the future.
" }At a Glance
-
40%
Visitor Increase
- Location
- Bristol, United Kingdom
- Offices
-
-
Client
-
-
Royal West of England Academy
-
-
Architect
-
Childs+Sulzmann Architects
- Location
- Bristol, United Kingdom
- Offices
- Client
-
- Royal West of England Academy
- Architect
- Childs+Sulzmann Architects