Issue 39 Sept 23 - Journal - Page 31
To deliver this small but exceptionally complex project,
A&RMÉ were fortunate to work with a design team of
proven experience including Price & Myers - structural
and civil engineers, Laurence Owen Associates - Building
Services Engineers and Stace LLP - Quantity Surveyors.
The Main Contractor was local firm Harrabin Construction Ltd with the Cathedral’s specialist term contractors
including Warren & Neale and Steane Building Services
as subcontractors.
The pandemic may have impacted upon visitor numbers
to the deferred City of Culture celebrations, but the
Cathedral’s legacy has lasting benefit. Isabel Merrifield,
Chief Operating Officer observes:
‘We are really enjoying these new spaces and finding new
ways to engage with a whole range of users. The increased
floor area may not be huge, but this is transforming how
we do events and support schools. When one of our
funders visited a few weeks ago, the rooms were full of
school children doing crafts and painting on the subject
of difference. It was great! The funder was really
impressed with what we had made in a relatively small
fixed footprint. We were able to speak so positively about
all the good things - level access and toilets. Not very
glamorous, but seriously necessary!’
Above, Interior of the multi-purpose space set up for graduations
Below, view towards the Chapel of Unity and Spire to the Ruins
from the South Terrace. Photography by George Sharman
Photography Ltd.
Several other important projects were also completed in
2019-2021 to mark the most significant phase of evolution in the Cathedral Precinct since the consecration in
1962:
• installation of a new fire alarm system in the New
Cathedral;
• restoration of the slate cladding to the Chapel of Christ
the Servant;
• essential high-level external masonry repairs to the New
Cathedral and its monumental porch, and the spire and
tower of the Ruins of St Michael’s;
• replacement of non-original retail units at the west
entrance to the New Cathedral with purpose-designed
furniture (by RSK Architects) with a materials palette
and details inspired by the original features;
• the magnificent Queen’s Steps which link the Ruins
and New Cathedral had previously required an intrusive
scaffold structure to be built when the Cathedral hosted
large scale events in the Ruins, to ensure people could
navigate the steps safely in the event of an evacuation.
New bronze handrails, matching the Spence originals
were installed to improve safe egress at all times. The
central handrail is removeable, allowing liturgical
procession to continue down the centre of the steps when
required.
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Conservation & Heritage Journal
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