St Mary Redcliffe Options Appraisal July 2018 - Latest drawings from Purcell

Interim Project Board Presentation
9 July 2018
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This study has been undertaken by Purcell for St Mary Redcliffe
Site visits have been undertaken by Purcell, accompanied by St Mary Redcliffe during which
initial briefing requirements were reviewed. A reverse briefing process has been undertaken
by Purcell with input from the Client and wider team and congregation to develop the brief
for Project 450
The plans demonstrate the strategies for achieving this brief. These are outline proposals and
require the input of appropriate specialist consultants before proceeding
Drawn information is based upon documentation received from the Client and is indicative
only. The plans should therefore not be scaled. No measured or contamination surveys were
undertaken and therefore full survey information should be gained before proceeding
DAN TALKES
The Old Police Station, 6 St Peter’s COurt, Bedminster Parade Bristol, BS3 4AQ
dan.talkes@purcelluk.com
www.purcelluk.com
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2© Purcell 2018

OPTION FOUR DEVELOPMENT
The following options emerge from the feedback received during the Project Board Meeting
of 14 May 2018, and a subsequent Design Team Meeting held on 27 June 2018. Principal
design objectives include:
1. The focussing of the ‘North-Side’ development towards the north-west corner
of the site
2. The intensification of the south churchyard development to maximise its use
3. The retention of an external route from the Processional Way to the South
Churchyard
And options to explore the potential:
4. Use of the apparently-unregistered piece of land known as ‘Peter’s Triangle’
5. Retention of the 1930s undercroft
6. Creation of a North – West link, at street / undercroft level, to enable multiple
entrances to the ‘North-Side’ development
Approximate position of sewer
Assumed development exclusion zone
OPTIONS
Analysis of below-ground utilities has confirmed the presence of a public sewer that runs
northwards along Redcliff Hill, before turning east to run across the north churchyard,
broadly on the alignment of the historic Pile Street. This sewer is over 1m in diameter
and, subject to further consultation with Wessex Water, is likely to be protected by a
3m development exclusion zone, although this can rise to 6m if the sewer is classified as
‘strategic’
Plotting both the sewer and the lesser protection zone on the site plan reveals the following:
1. The apparently-unregistered ‘Peter’s Triangle’ is almost entirely within the
protection zone and therefore of limited development value
2. The existing 1930s undercroft extends to the development limit of the 3m
exclusion zone. This relationship is also repeated in the historic boundary to
Redcliff Hill and so it is assumed that a 3m separation was adopted in the
sewer’s original setting-out
Although a ‘Build-Over Agreement’ could be sought, given the size – and, hence, assumed
importance – of the sewer, we would caution that such an agreement is unlikely to be
forthcoming. The following options therefore assume that the development exclusion zone
remains as existing and are formed within this constraint
1930s Undercroft
• Built-up to the assumed 3m development exclusion zone, the existing 1930s undercroft
prevents both the remodelling of the north steps and the creation of historicallyresonant
steps from the west
• This option therefore assumes its reduction by 50% to consist of a single line of vaults,
rather than paired vaults, as existing
• The undercroft is also set at a level below the north-side pavement that, for reasons of
equitable access, logically becomes the finished floor level of the welcome facilities
• This option therefore places a raised walkway through the vaults. Of sufficient width
to allow two wheelchairs to pass, this creates not only a generous link between north
and west openings but also enables the 1930s undercroft to be partially-retained and
interpreted as a potentially-dramatic archaeological fragment
Each of the subsequent options also utilises this approach
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OPTION 4.1 - Choir Vestry on the Northside
As a hybrid of previous options 1 & 3, this option provides the following:
1. A western entrance, aligned with the proposed pedestrian route from
Redcliffe Wharf, that enters the new undercroft, via a bridge over a reflecting
pool at the base of the historic Redcliffe Pipe
2. Reconfigured steps to the north porch from the north and west
3. An introductory exhibition space within the 1930s undercroft, linking to
a ‘treasury’ within the C14 undercroft, via an adjacent-opening lift and a
generous set of steps
4. Principal vertical circulation alongside, providing compliant access to the nave,
via a new opening centred between the north transept and north porch, and
located below the cill to the existing tracery window
5. A generous café, opening to an east-facing terrace
6. A dedicated retail space
7. Discreetly-sited accessible WCs
8. A purpose-built choir vestry, consisting of a practice space, music store, male
& female robing, WCs and linking to the chancel via the existing stair to
Canynges’ Kitchen
9. A public route through the Processional Way and, via new steps, to the south
churchyard
10. An internal stair and lift from this point to both a self-contained education
space (with WCs below) and events space within the south churchyard
11. A secure education space, with an internal link to the church, via the Priest’s
Door
12. A generous events space (with separate kitchenette, storage, and WCs) that,
projected from the uppermost point of the south churchyard, floats over the
ground to preserve the tree-roots and enable the retention of the existing
designated Grade-A trees
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13. Carefully-screened parking alongside Pump Lane
14. A new public space to the north-side
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Potential Limitations:
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1. No enhanced access to the west-end at nave level
2. New choir vestry occupies the approximate position identified in previous
options for a potential phase-3 Hogarth gallery
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3. Requirement for choir to utilise existing stair to Canynges’ Kitchen potentially
prevents public use as part of interpretation sequence, although, due to
timings, overlap may be minimal
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LOWER GROUND FLOOR (undercroft level)
1. Introductory Exhibition
2. Cafe
3. External Seating
4. Exhibition
5. Lift & Stair to Nave Level
6. Choir Vestry
7. Education Space
8. Event Space
9. Visitor Parking

Hogarth potentially displayed
within events space?
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GROUND FLOOR (nave level)
UPPER GROUND FLOOR (uppermost level of south churchyard)
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OPTION 4.2 - New Narthex to the West End
As a development of previous option 1, and with reference to option 4.1, this option:
1. Places a new narthex adjacent to the west door, containing a lift and stair from
pavement level to nave level
2. There-by enables the existing west doors to be held-open with new glazed
doors within the existing opening permitting a spectacular view towards the
altar
3. Relocates the choir vestry to a first storey, above the education space, with a
stair and lift providing private, covered access to the chancel, via the Priest’s
Door
4. Relies upon an additional short-rise lift to negotiate the level change between
the new welcome facilities and the existing C14 undercroft (exhibition space)
5. Retains a potential north-side location for a phase 3 Hogarth Gallery
Potential Limitations:
1. Constrained by both the sewer development exclusion zone, and the need to
avoid under-mining the existing building, the lower ground floor route to the
new narthex is potentially awkward and insufficiently-rewarding
2. In this position, the vertical circulation to nave level is remote from the
exhibition space. Hence, whilst those without mobility issues are able to utilise
the historic stairs to Canynges’ Kitchen, wheelchair users are substantially rerouted,
via the new narthex
3. The new choir vestry is spectacularly-sited but, unavoidably, smaller than that
shown in option 4.1, and relies upon the shared use of the education WCs,
two-storeys below
4. New narthex arguably restricts potential for view to altar from raised
pavement
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LOWER GROUND FLOOR (undercroft level)
1. Introductory Exhibition
2. Cafe
3. External Seating
4. Exhibition
5. Lift & Stair to Nave Level
6. Choir Vestry
7. Education Space
8. Event Space
9. Visitor Parking

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GROUND FLOOR (nave level)
UPPER GROUND FLOOR (uppermost level of south churchyard)
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OPTION 4.3 - Choir Vestry in the South Churchyard
As a hybrid of options 4.1 & 4.2, this option:
1. Enables the existing west doors to be held-open with new glazed doors within
the existing opening permitting a spectacular view towards the altar
2. Assumes that this west entrance is accessed externally, with the potential for a
lowered threshold to provide access for all
3. Reverts to a lift and stair to nave level between the north transept and north
porch
4. Places the choir vestry over the education space, as option 4.2
Next Steps:
During the Project Board Meeting of 9 July 2018, it was agreed that Purcell should develop
option 4.3 to explore the:
1. Spatial implications of accommodating the Hogarth within the events space
2. Potential to place the choir vestry in a dedicated north-side building, as option
4.1, but with the storey above the education space retained as storage
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2
3
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LOWER GROUND FLOOR (undercroft level)
1. Introductory Exhibition
2. Cafe
3. External Seating
4. Exhibition
5. Lift & Stair to Nave Level
6. Choir Vestry
7. Education Space
8. Event Space
9. Visitor Parking

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GROUND FLOOR (nave level)
UPPER GROUND FLOOR (uppermost level of south churchyard)
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SKETCH MODEL SHOWING RELATIVE SCALE
OF INTERVENTION

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