A large skylight in the north allows plenty of light for artistic activities, while a small platform on the ground floor with a beautiful desk has a glassed-in corner, designed as a window and an inspiration for thinking.
The only living space that can be used as a place for art people's daily living – is a simple room for two with a compact stylish kitchen. Musicians to rehearse and artists to showcase their talents have a special space with a large entrance door to the adjacent courtyard, which can be made into a temporary but cozy exhibition area.
Only minimally necessary repairs were made to stabilize the existing ruins for the new inserted structure. The decaying windows were left alone, and the vegetation extending through the building was protected to allow it to continue its natural process of aging and decay. Which adds even more romance to the image. Water running between the old and new structures is directed to accessible drainage points in the door sills.
The entire structure is a 1.2 x 2.4 meter sheet with regular stepped welded joints, in which a door and windows are inserted.
The walls and roof panels were welded together next to the memorial remains of the structure and placed inside it.
The interior walls and ceiling are insulated from the ancient structure with great care to resist the process of decay and preserve its appearance for long. They are elegantly lined with plywood for a more comfortable feel. Its sheets also form a superb staircase, balustrade and mezzanine structure.
The result was a wood box within the space of a ruin.
Read more here: Haworth Tompkins
