Atomik: Studio Conversations #9

Drawing From History

By Derek Draper - Director, Atomik

Delivering change to historic buildings comes with a range of challenges. In basic terms, these are about respecting the historic building whilst giving it a new life through modernisation and adaptation. When approaching this typology, we have learnt that to adapt a building to better suit our needs for today, and the future, we need to understand it’s past. We have found that by drawing through the building at each stage of its life we have a clearer understanding of how to adapt it for the future.

A project where this initial research was critical was at Thorpe Lodge, for Holland Park School. The building had undergone numerous changes by each generation of owners over the past 200 years. It was important for us to understand the building's evolution to extend it in the correct way. By drawing the building at each stage of it’s life, we were able to understand it’s evolution which formed an uncanny sequence of spaces. This helped us to approach the project in a more informed way, ensuring that the new additions had the same sense of sequence.

Similarly, at a Grade II* terrace on Eaton Place, our investigative drawings allowed us to justify a fairly radical intervention for the context. By carefully analysing the building's structure and history, we were able to identify areas where we could make significant changes without compromising the building's integrity and identity. This process allowed us to push the clients’ brief to ensure the building met today’s needs with the reconfiguration, extension and a lift.  

Drawing the building at each stage of it’s life also allows us to plan building services more efficiently. This is key to the future success of how the building is to be maintained and adapted in the future. When working with an existing structure, it can be challenging to seamlessly integrate modern building services. However, by producing detailed investigative drawings we can plan the building services to fit in seamlessly. This ensures that the building's functionality is not compromised, and the services work efficiently without detracting from the building's historic value.

As reuse and retrofit of buildings is being celebrated and encouraged, they have to be handled with respect and care. As a building typology, their quirks and uniqueness informs us that there is not a one size fits all approach. The design process needs to start with research into not only how the building and structure was originally built but also how the building has been adapted over time according to each owner and design culture. This research helps you find the opportunities, as well as set the constraints. It is through this process that we gain a deep understanding of the building's history, structure, and evolution. This knowledge allows us to change a building in a way which builds on the changes made in the past, deliver ambitious client briefs and plan building services seamlessly. A process which is vital to preserving and enhancing the heritage of buildings for the next generation.