St George's Bristol
St George's Bristol
We provided heritage support to a grant funding application for the sensitive conversion of this 200-year-old Georgian church into a 580-seat concert concert hall - since desribed by Sir Simon Rattle as ‘the best acoustic for chamber music in Europe’.
St George’s was designed by Sir Robert Smirke in an austere Greek Revival style and has remained substantially unchanged since it opened in 1823. St George’s Trust operates the Grade II* listed building as a music education centre and concert hall of international standing. In 2012, their aim was to enhance the performance facilities and build a new box office, educational space, bar and restaurant, with improved access and connections to surrounding streets. In addition to internal restoration and refubrbishment, architects Patel Taylor oversaw an extension that was sympathetic to the existing Robert Smirke architecture, yet is also bold and contemporary. In 2018, a pavilion-style extension was addedd with new gallery and performance spaces in the Glass Studio.
For the phases of works, we provided a detailed heritage assessment of the building and its surroundings. Its intact interior and setting in a conservation area make the development brief a particularly challenging one. We assessed the significance of the various elements on the site, and commented on the potential impact of outline proposals. Our report was well received by the Trust, who acknowledged that it helped them to understand their site better, and to improve their Heritage Lottery Fund grant application for the development scheme.
Awards:
2020 RIBAJ Best on Show Award, South West
2020 RIBA South West Award (Finalist)
2019 Bristol Civic Society Design Award
2019 Bristol Property Award.
Client: St George’s Trust
Architects: Patel Taylor