Kresen Kernow

Kresen Kernow is home to the world's largest collection of documents, books, maps and photographs related to Cornwall's history. It integrates an historic brewery visitor centre and library with a new-build archive store, providing over 14 linear miles of archive storage using passive design principles for an exceptionally low energy facility.  The project has won several design awards including a National Civic Trust Award, and a RIBA South West Award.  Richard Woods was project partner, first at Purcell, and then at Urban Fabric, in collaboration with Purcell’s project team.

Client: Cornwall Council

Location: Redruth, Cornwall

"Richard Woods led the multi-disciplinary Design Team to design and build Kresen Kernow, a £17m scheme to repurpose an historic brewhouse as the new archive centre for Cornwall.  We have been delighted with the proactive approach Richard and his colleagues have taken to working with a wide range of stakeholders to inform the design and keep people involved in what is a significant scheme for the local area."

Deborah Tritton, Archive Services Manager, Cornwall Council

Photo Credit

© Phil Boorman

Scarborough Public Toilets

Scarborough Borough Council commissioned Urban Fabric to refurbish their Edwardian beach-front public toilets overlooking the town’s South Bay.  The re-working of the interior allowed the incorporation of a Changing Places space along with accessible and family-changing facilities.  The Edwardian façade has been conserved with indented stone and lime mortar repointing and with new signage and artwork referencing the bold presentation of shop and restaurant frontages along the beachfront.  Four original Edwardian tiled panels have been carefully renovated and now form a dramatic focus to the entrance lobby.

Romans Field School

Urban Fabric designed a new classroom wing for Romans Field School, a special school in Milton Keynes, catering for children aged 5 to 11 years with social emotional and mental health needs.  Drawing on close consultation with the end users to inform the layout and fitting out arrangement, the timber-framed class-bases are naturally ventilated and generously naturally lit, with a building form echoing the rippling roof profile of the original 1960s school.  The elevations incorporate low-level windows set within deep highly-insulated facades enabling both internal and external seating opportunities for the students.

Milton Keynes City Archive Residency and Wiki-Pavilion

This commission combined an archivist in residence role, with the design and detailing of a ‘wiki-pavilion’ travelling exhibition space.  The archival role focussed on researching and celebrating Milton Keynes’ rich heritage of pioneering and environmentally progressive housing exhibitions to create Archive-opia, an exhibition for wider public engagement.  The plywood pavilion structure used open-source ‘wikihouse’ technology to minimise embodied carbon and to facilitate speedy assembly and disassembly, enabling the exhibition to travel to both city centre and suburban housing area locations.

New Standard Works

Urban Fabric have completed two new phases of a long-term project to adapt a Grade-II listed building in the Jewellery Quarter of Birmingham.  New Standard Works provides authentic education and workplace learning experiences within the creative sector for young adults with learning disabilities. The accommodation includes a bio-dynamic café, bakery, jewellery workshops and a rooftop micro-farm. The project was a Civic Trust 2020 Awards Regional Finalist, and received a 2019 RICS Commendation.

Client: Ruskin Mill Land Trust

Location: Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham

"Urban Fabric provided full architectural services on two projects which are further transforming a Victorian jewellery works in Central Birmingham into a College for young people with learning and behavioural challenges.  The extensive external and internal works took place around the operational College.  UF have been delightful to work with - imaginative, thoughtful, and thorough and always considerate of design and constructional issues that have an impact on the young people."

Colin George, Estates Manager,

Ruskin Mill Land Trust

Photo Credit

© Simon Reakes and Ian Hodgkinson