Issue 42 summer 24 web - Flipbook - Page 73
Although in a good working state and generally very well
maintained, certain original finishes had been replaced in
modern materials: gypsum plaster to the ceilings and narrower, machined boards to the floors. Even more significantly, those repeated changes to berth size (and the
introduction of diagonal elements at the fireplaces) had
dramatically altered the overall proportions of Wren’s long
corridors (Fig 1 below).
Continuity and change in the long Wards
Long-established military tradition and the wellstructured routine of this venerable institution have preserved the functions and uses for which these buildings
were designed. However, by the beginning of the 21st century, In-Pensioner applications to the Royal Hospital were
tailing off. The idea of an internal cubicle with no direct
light, ventilation or control of heating (and a very long
walk to communal WCs) was no longer an attractive one.
Further change was also needed; to allow applications for
female In-Pensioners.
Peregrine Bryant Architects (PBA) was appointed in 2006
to undertake a feasibility study, exploring options for improvement of accommodation, including the provision of
en-suite facilities: a delicate task of adapting Wren’s buildings to current standards without causing irreversible
damage to the highly significant fabric.
It was only the introduction of 20th-century technology
which gave rise to numerous changes within the wards.
Electricity was installed and in 1926 a lift, followed by central heating two years later. Refurbishment of the berths
took place in 1954–5 and their minimal 6’x6’ size was also
enlarged; original timber panelling was moved out, into
the corridor, to enlarge the berths to 6’x9’.
Refurbishment Proposals
As the only remaining hospital of its kind still in use, the
Royal Hospital is highly significant, valued both for its historic fabric and its legacy as an institution. The hospital
is deeply embedded in its place, inspiring a far-reaching
communal value in addition to its remarkable historical
value.
In 1991 they were enlarged again to 9’x9’ by merging
three into two by the removal of their softwood-panelled
partitions (which were replaced in plasterboard). This
work dramatically altered the carefully planned rhythm
of their spacing. Other changes (such as the introduction
of ceilings to the berths) altered the original panelling,
and the further piecemeal introduction of electrical and
mechanical services compromised the Spartan beauty of
the interiors.
The site and its buildings have a unique and treasured
atmosphere, an aesthetic value based partly upon Wren’s
inspired idea of ‘social corridors’. The small berths were
just cramped spaces for resting and sleeping (Figure 2
below left) but the corridors were the places to live, meet,
Above, figure 1
Above, figure 2
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Conservation & Heritage Journal
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