Battersea Arts Centre

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Following a serious fire in 2015 in this Grade II* listed art centre, this renovation and expansion project expertly repaired the destruction to the roof and supporting masonry walls, and enhanced the space inside.   

Judge's comment:

The fire occurred towards the end of the completion of the regeneration project and provided the opportunity to create a vibrant community space. 

Heyne Tillett Steel arrived on site whilst the fire was still burning. They advised on the safe partial demolition of the building and then engineered a structural solution that retained as much of the original structure as possible, whilst allowing parts of the fire-damaged fabric to remain on view in the completed scheme.

The judges were particularly impressed by the emphasis placed on retaining structure, and in particular the way in which the new roof was supported by the original buttressed masonry walls. Such attention to detail enabled as much as possible of the building’s heritage to be preserved.